Beauty and the Otaku
by Anysia
Summary: AU An adaptation of 'Beauty and the Beast'. When the maiden Kaname Chidori is nearly kidnapped by the terrorist organization Amalgam, it's up to Sousuke Sagara to keep an eye on her within the stronghold of Merida Fortress. ON INDEFINITE HIATUS.
1. Prisoner?

_**(A/N: Multi-chaptered FMP fic. Multi-chaptered FMP fic that I started writing at nearly two in the morning. Multi-chaptered FMP fic that is equal parts Alternate Universe and an adaptation of 'Beauty and the Beast'. Would someone please tell me what the HELL I'm doing?**_

_**My estimation is that this will be about four or five chapters, but I suck at estimating how long my fics will be. Suffice it to say, the rating is for later chapters, as there will be S/K squishies. And possibly a lemon as the finale but, well, that wouldn't be posted here obviously. And it's not written in stone.**_

_**I talk too much. Someone stop me!)**_

* * *

_**Beauty and the Otaku**_

_**By Anysia**_

* * *

Morning dawned bright and beautiful upon the small, rural, nonspecific village in a nonspecific country. Autumn was now upon the village, and the leaves lining the main thoroughfare had begun to change. It was upon this thoroughfare, on this morning, that Miss Kaname Chidori walked, absently glancing around at her surroundings as she headed towards the town square in order to do her weekly shopping. Kaname was a wholly beautiful girl, but even at the marriageable age of eighteen, she remained unattached.

Perhaps it was because of her beauty that the village men often feared to near her, or perhaps it was her intelligence—

"Miss Chidori!"

Kaname arched one eyebrow at the sound of Satoru Shirai, one of the few village boys who continued to pester her. "What do you want?" she asked in a disinterested voice as she came upon the bridge crossing the village stream.

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to head over to the tavern with me. My wife's out of town, and we could have some fun…"

Kaname said nothing; she simply shot one hand out and in one quick motion had pushed Shirai off the bridge and into the chilled water.

Yes, it may have been her beauty, or her intelligence, but the fact of the matter was that Kaname was an overly-aggressive, violent, bipolar woman who no man dared to near for fear of losing an eye.

"Idiot," Kaname muttered to herself as she continued into town. A frown tugged at the corner of her mouth. Part of her knew that she only continued to increase her isolation with each man she spurned, but she was far too stubborn and proud to ever admit that she was the one to blame for her loneliness.

It was in the midst of these thoughts that she heard the voice of the last person she wanted to encounter at this time.

"Good morning, Miss Chidori."

Kaname's self-assured smile immediately twisted into a scowl at the recognition of the voice behind her. "What do you want now, Leonard?" she asked in a monotone without turning around.

A hand gripped her shoulder and turned her around to face the newcomer. His slate-grey eyes bored into her, and his smile was infuriatingly cocky as he drank in her annoyed features. "I was just curious as to why you chose to run away from our encounter last night. It's not exactly polite, Miss Chidori."

Kaname threw the hand off her shoulder with a violent jerk. "Our _encounter_?" she intoned. "If you're referring to last night's escapade in which you so gallantly grabbed me and stuck your tongue down my throat, then you're pretty damn lucky you escaped with your internal organs intact."

Leonard simply laughed. "I love that about you. So fiery, so full of life. You don't seem to fear anything or anyone."

"No. I'm just not afraid of you," Kaname said with a disinterested look in her eyes. "I don't particularly _like _you, either. Why don't you just find some cheap harlot somewhere and show her a good time? Your treat." She turned away but was pulled back sharply.

"You don't understand, do you?" Leonard smiled softly, but there was a seriousness to his stare that Kaname hadn't seen before. "You're _special_."

"God, can you at least come up with some _original _pick-up lines?" Kaname rolled her eyes.

"You'll understand someday," Leonard said gently, then grasped her shoulders and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Oh, get the hell _off _me!" Kaname yelled, pulling away violently. "What do I have to do to get it through your head that I don't want anything to do with you? God." She turned and started down the path to her small cottage. "I'm heading home now," she called over her shoulder. "If you value your life, you'd better not follow."

"You know I'll win you in the end," Leonard called from behind her. It was a statement, one borne of self-assuredness and determination.

Kaname didn't look back.

* * *

A deep scowl remained on Kaname's face as she made her way back to her cottage. "I'll win you in the end," she repeated in a mocking tone. "Yeah fucking right. Not in this lifetime, pal."

She swung open the door of her small home and absentmindedly set her basket down upon the kitchen table. "Is this all there is in my life, Mom?" she asked of the framed picture hung upon the wall as she sat down heavily in her armchair. "Some idiot constantly trying to win me over? Shopping in the village?" Her brow furrowed, and she began to worry her lower lip between her teeth. "I just…I want something _more. _You know…something invigorating. Exciting. I want _adventure_."

Kaname stood and crossed the room, softly touching the framed glass with one finger. "I miss you, Mom." She felt tears rising but quickly pushed them back. "I could really use some guidance right about now."

* * *

The rain had swept suddenly over the valley, and the poor messenger boy named Onodera found himself unexpectedly caught in the downpour. He looked up at the sky with a grimace, tightly clutching the wrapped letter within his cloak. "I am _not _getting paid enough for this," he muttered to himself. His horse snorted in reply.

He had been enjoying a nice pint of ale in the local tavern when a strange man with an indiscernible accent had approached him. Onodera had eyed the man warily; what was a foreigner doing in this sleepy little hamlet? The man had engaged in small talk for a few minutes in an obvious attempt to establish a sense of camaraderie, then had asked, "Say, boy, it is of the utmost importance that this letter be delivered to the Merida Fortress out past the forest." He reached within his protective great coat and pulled out a crisp letter wrapped in rich cloth.

"Hm," Onodera grunted noncommittally, then downed another mouthful of his ale. "And what would I receive for my services?"

The man smirked, then tossed a small bag of gold coins upon the table. "Half now, half when you've completed the task." His smirk had faded. "This mission is of the utmost importance."

Onodera's eyes sparkled at the sight of gold, and he immediately gathered the treasure to him. "Sure thing, Sir." He grinned. "I'll head out as soon as I finish my drink."

"That's the spirit." The man smiled slightly, but his eyes were dim and slightly troubled.

And so, here he was, in the middle of the night, caught in a drenching rain, delivering a letter to the frightful Merida Fortress far past the village. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid; had he been so dazzled by a few pretty coins that he'd overlooked the inherent danger of such a trip?

Apparently so.

As with all adventurous young boys, Onodera had once stumbled across the fortress during rowdy games with his friends from the village. It was a tall, imposing structure, made of cold stone and supposedly inhabited by a heartless band of highwaymen and thieves who had long since overtaken the structure as their hideout. The women in the village loved to tell stories about how young boys were gutted and beheaded in an attempt to keep their mischievous sons away from the fortress, but they failed to take into account one pivotal rule—whatever is forbidden to a child becomes irresistible.

And so Onodera had stumbled across the structure with his friends years before. "It's not so scary," he had said in a haughty voice full of bravado. "I don't even know why it's forbidde—" His voice cut off abruptly as an arrow sliced through the air and pinned his tunic to a nearby tree. His gaze immediately rose to a shadowy figure standing silently atop one of the towers. The figure held a longbow in its hands.

The boy's friends suffered the same fate. "Let's get out of here!" Onodera cried, pulling the arrow from the tree trunk with a sharp tug and running away as fast as his legs could carry him. He could have sworn he felt the figure's eyes boring into his back as he ran…

Onodera gulped audibly as Merida Fortress rose up before him, its stone structure dark and somehow even more imposing in the heavily falling rain. A bolt of lightning split the sky and illuminated the fortress for a brief moment. Onodera unconsciously clutched the reins of his horse more tightly through his riding gloves, then clicked his tongue to spur the horse on.

As he approached the raised drawbridge, he began to have second thoughts. Who knew what lay beyond the gatehouse? Perhaps the fortress really was inhabited by thieves, or murderers, or who _knew _what horrible…

Onodera screeched as an arrow flew by his ear and landed solidly in the trunk of a tree several meters behind him. His horse reared up in fright and violently pitched him to the ground. Onodera landed with a splash in a deep puddle upon the pathway.

"Ugh…dammit," he cursed, rubbing his backside with one hand. He stopped abruptly when he noticed the young man standing no more than a few feet away from him. Onodera wondered briefly how he'd snuck up so quickly when he noticed the longbow in the young man's right hand. "What are you doing shooting that thing off!?" he yelled over the pouring rain. "You could have killed me!"

"A minor setback, I'm sure," the young man said in a monotone. His eyes remained firmly upon Onodera as he reached for another arrow in the quiver upon his back. "What business do you have at Merida Fortress?"

"I—I…"

"Your life will be shortened considerably if I am not given a satisfactory answer within the next three seconds."

"W—wait, man!" Onodera waved his hands frantically, then reached within his great coat and pulled out the letter. "Some guy asked me to deliver this to you! Honest! He said it was…um… 'of the utmost importance,' I think is how he put it." He slowly approached the young man and handed him the letter.

The young man didn't glance at the letter as he tucked it within the waistband of his trousers. "Your mission is now complete, I take it?"

Onodera nodded dumbly, all the while unconsciously processing the young man's features. He was of average height and had a lithe yet muscular build; his dark, messy hair was weighted down by rainwater. His eyes never moved from Onodera's; had he even blinked? A cross-shaped scar upon his jaw added to his more than slightly dangerous appearance.

Had Onodera been less frightened, of course, he would have realized that it was this same young man who, in his earlier days, had shot the arrow that had pinned the young Onodera to the tree when he stumbled across this fortress.

"Y-yeah," Onodera stammered. "I guess I'll be heading back to the village now."

"I strongly suggest you do so," the young man said in the same monotonous voice, narrowing his eyes slightly as he nocked the arrow he had retrieved from the quiver.

Onodera only nodded quickly, then took off running through the forest, no longer conscious of the rain.

* * *

Sousuke Sagara sighed as he laid his bow and quiver upon the broad meeting table within the fortress' Great Hall. It had been quite awhile since anyone had been stupid enough to attempt to approach the fortress, but his marksmanship skills had once again made quick work of the intruder. But wait, wasn't there something the messenger had delivered…?

Ah! The letter. Sousuke grasped the linen-wrapped letter at his waistband and tugged it out carelessly, unfolding it and scanning the carefully written words. His eyes widened as he digested the message.

"A civilian maiden? In danger?" He frowned slightly.

"A lovely lady's in danger somewhere? Count me in!"

Sousuke looked up to see one of his fellow soldiers, an incorrigible rogue named Kurtz Weber, come running towards him. He snatched the letter from Sousuke's hands and immediately scanned it. "Kaname Chidori? I feel like I've heard that name before…"

"If she's a reputable woman, I somehow doubt it," the leader of the squadron, Melissa Mao, said frankly as she strode into the Hall. "So what's the deal, Sousuke?"

"I'm…not sure," Sousuke said with a frown, handing the letter to his commanding officer. "From what I can gather, the subject in question is in some immediate danger, and we have been commissioned to guard her."

"Hmm…this is from the higher-ups," Mao said with a frown. "I wonder what the threat is?" She turned the letter over to be met with a blank expanse of paper. "Damn. You think they'd be more specific."

"All I need to know is that there's some beautiful maiden out there who needs guarding," Kurz said with a grin. "Kurz Weber is on the job!" He let out a grunt as Mao slapped the letter hard against his chest.

"Dumbass." She scowled. "I'd better alert the guards, just in case there are any screw ups before we can move out. Kurz, try not to be an ass. Sousuke, be on-guard."

"Ma'am?"

Mao raised a questioning eyebrow at Sousuke. "What?"

"Am I to understand that we are going to devote nearly all our available resources to guarding one civilian, when we are yet uncertain as to the particular threat endangering her?" Sousuke's brow had furrowed.

"We've been assigned to it, Sousuke. If we got to pick our assignments, do you think I'd be holed up inside this dreary fortress right now? Fuck no! I'd be out on a beach somewhere. Got it?"

"But…"

"Come on, man!" Kurz clapped Sousuke on the shoulder good-naturedly. "We're going to have some babe all to ourselves? Doesn't that make you happy?"

"I find it to be an utter waste of my skills. Conflict is consistently arising, and we are to be standing guard over one civilian?"

"Lighten up, Sousuke." Kurz couldn't stop grinning. "It'll be fun!"

Sousuke remained silent, his brows still knitted in concern.

* * *

"Hmm…now I need two tablespoons of dark rum…"

Kaname carefully consulted the recipe for Madeleine cookies, then added the necessary rum. Her mind unconsciously drifted back to her encounter with Leonard two days earlier, and she shook her head vigorously in an attempt to clear the thoughts from her head. _That bastard…_she thought with a scowl. He had a way of annoying her even when he wasn't around.

As if on cue, a knock sounded at her door.

Kaname pursed her lips but continued with her baking. "Let's see, lemon rind…where did I put the lemon…?"

"Miss Chidori…!"

Grinding her teeth, Kaname added the lemon rind to the rum and began to beat the ingredients into the mixture. "Next up is the sugar…"

"Miss Chidori!"

Kaname stifled a frustrated scream and slammed her hands down upon the edge of the bowl, sending raw cookie mix all over the kitchen and her crisp apron. She stormed to the door and wrenched it open. "What do you want _now_?" she asked in an exaggerated tone of annoyance.

Leonard smirked at her, then bent down to kiss her hand. "I just happened to be nearby and wondered if the lovely Miss Chidori would care to join me on a walk."

"Not on your life, pal," Kaname said frankly, attempting to pull the door shut. Leonard quickly wedged one well-shod foot between the door and its frame, forcing Kaname back into the cottage.

"Miss Chidori," Leonard said with a patient smile. "I have some friends who would love to meet you. I've told you countless times how special you are; how can I keep such a special woman to myself?"

"What are you…talking about?" Kaname felt a faint twinge of fear that disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

Leonard's smile widened as he placed a hand on either side of her head. "You really don't know, do you? We're the same, you and I. Within us is the potential to advance humanity by leaps and bounds, to either expand or destroy the universe. The _Whispered_, Miss Chidori."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kaname said, trying to keep the fear out of her voice at being pinned like this by Leonard. "I'm not special—I'm just an average girl."

She gasped as she felt the touch within her mind.

_You're special, Miss Chidori._ Kaname gaped as she somehow heard Leonard speak when he had remained silent, his hands still on either side of her head. _And it's because you're so special that my friends so desperately want to meet you_.

"Wh—what?" Kaname gasped. "What _is _this?"

"Time to go, Miss Chidori." Leonard smiled gently at her as he removed the gun hidden at his waist from its holster. "Don't worry; I'll take good care of you."

Kaname laughed, a tense, high-pitched laugh. "C-come on, Leonard. What is this? Just because I wouldn't spend the night with you? Seriously, there are plenty of other fish in the sea. We have to work on your rejection iss—" Kaname screamed as Leonard fired a shot that embedded itself in the wall behind her.

"Miss Chidori, we can do this the easy way or the hard way." Leonard's smile had disappeared.

_Wh-what do I do!? _Kaname's mind all but screamed at her in a panic. Suddenly, she caught sight of the framed picture of her mother out of the corner of her eye. _Mom…_Filled with a newfound determination, Kaname steeled herself, then offered her hand to Leonard. "Alright, Leonard. Do with me what you will."

Leonard lowered the gun into a defensive position, then took Kaname by the hand. "That's a good girl. And here I was afraid I'd have to use—" His words stopped abruptly as Kaname struck him hard in the face, then sprinted across the room, out the door and into the thick forest.

Leonard watched her go, an amused smirk upon his features. "Poor Miss Chidori," he said in a mock-sympathetic tone. "You're running right into our trap."

* * *

Kaname ran as fast as she could, darting through the thick foliage and ducking under low-hanging tree limbs. Her legs ached, and she was gasping for breath, but she knew her life was in danger if she stopped to rest for even a moment.

Behind the natural instinct of survival lay a rush of emotions—fear, anger, shock, confusion. Fear for what might become of her. Anger at Leonard for suddenly turning on her. Shock that he would do so. And confusion as to what had suddenly become of her eternally-peaceful life.

A tangle of briars cut deeply into her exposed ankles, but she continued to run, hurdling over fallen logs and weaving between trees in an attempt to lose anyone who might be following her.

Anyone who might be following her…

Kaname stopped suddenly, staring up at the sunlight filtering through the forest canopy, listening to the carefree twittering of the birds, her features twisted into confusion. She spun around peered cautiously through the thick tree trunks, only to realize that Leonard hadn't followed her at all. _Why on earth wouldn't he pursue? _she wondered as she absentmindedly drew a line into the dirt with one foot.

She was immediately shaken from her thoughts when a knife flew out from seemingly nowhere and slashed her across the cheek.

_Because the bastard knew I was running right into the waiting arms of his 'friends'!_

Fear seized Kaname's heart as she immediately took off running in the opposite direction of that from which the knife had flown. Now she heard rushed footfalls from behind her, clearly indicating that whomever was targeting her was now giving chase. "Come on, men, we've got her!" she heard a rough voice call out from several meters behind her. That only made her run faster.

_A little farther…just a little farther, Kaname! Come on, you can do it!_

She tripped over an exposed root and fell hard upon the forest floor. Within seconds she was surrounded by a band of about six men wielding knives, bows, and muskets.

"Um…hello, gentlemen," Kaname said in her best 'sweet maiden' voice. "I assume you're here to help a young maiden in distress?"

"Not even remotely," the man who appeared to be the leader, a rough, unshaven man with a deep scar across his left cheek said roughly.

_Oh God…_Kaname forced herself to keep her pulse steady and her voice even. "Well, I—I'm sure I wouldn't make a very good slave, or even a good harlot for that matter. I have a terrible work ethic." She smiled and clasped her hands together in front of her apron. "I guess I'll just let you fine gentlemen be on your way now, bye!" She attempted to run but was caught roughly by the wrist and thrown hard to the ground with a force that knocked the wind out of her.

"Hey, boss," one of the men said with a leer, fingering his hunting knife. "She's a pretty one, ain't she?"

"Yeah, I suppose she is. What about it?"

"Well, Mr. Testarossa never said we couldn't play around with her a bit, as long as we get her to port in one piece, right?" He continued to leer at Kaname, who was now gasping for air against the force of her fall.

"Hmm…I hadn't considered that." The leader smiled, an ugly, twisted grin. "Alright, boys, as long as you don't do anything to ruin our bounty, have as much fun with her as you—" His voice transformed into a choked gurgle as a knife appeared out of nowhere, now lodged firmly in his trachea. He quickly slumped over, dead.

The remaining five men immediately adopted defensive postures, stealing glances around them, attempting to see through the thick foliage surrounding them.

"What the hell—" one of the men began, only to be halted by an gunshot wound to the chest. Two of his comrades fell just as quickly.

The two remaining men quickly grabbed Kaname and attempted to run with her, only succeeded in escaping a few feet before they were each struck down by a masterfully shot arrow. As the final man fell, his knife, which had been held against Kaname's waist, now plunged within the flesh.

As Kaname's vision blurred and she began to fall to the ground from the pain of the wound, one thought remained at the forefront of her mind.

_What has happened to my life?_

The last thing she saw before unconsciousness overtook her was the shadowy figure of a young man standing above her, concern in his serious grey eyes and a distinct cross-shaped scar across his jaw.

* * *

_Uhh…_

The first thing Kaname saw when she awoke was grey. Grey everywhere…she was in a sea of grey. It was only when she fully regained consciousness that she realized she was staring at a grey stone wall.

She quickly took in her surroundings, needing only seconds to take in the small, sparse confinement fully. She was apparently in a holding cell of some kind; the only items in the cell were a small bed of hay, upon which she had been lying, and a stool with a washbasin. "Where the hell am I?" Kaname wondered aloud, crying out in pain as she tried to stand.

_That's right…that bastard stabbed me! _Kaname immediately pressed her hand against the flesh where she had been wounded, only to find that it had been cleaned and expertly dressed. "What the hell…?"

Her head snapped up as she heard the heavy door to her cell open. "Miss Chidori," a voice stated simply.

In the doorway stood a young man who couldn't have been much older than she, but his eyes held a seriousness that was clearly far beyond his years. A frown was upon his somewhat handsome features, and he had a fresh bandage upon one cheek. "I see you have finally awo—" Sousuke Sagara began.

"Ahh!"

The young soldier fell back against the far stone wall at the impact of Kaname's blow to his gut, one hand pressed against his abdomen. Kaname had crouched into a defensive position, shaking slightly. It was only after a few minutes that she recognized the distinct scar. "You…" she started.

"As I was saying…" Sousuke continued, wincing slightly. "And might I congratulate you, Miss Chidori, on such a splendid technique. I will undoubtedly need to consult a physician to ascertain the impact of that blow. Now then, as I was saying, I am glad to see that you have finally awoken. I had begun to worry about the depth of the stab wound you received in the forest."

Kaname unconsciously pressed back against the wall, distrust and suspicion in her eyes. "Who…are you?"

"That information, I'm afraid, is classified," Sousuke said simply. "You must simply trust that we have your best interests in mind. We are here to protect you from those who wish to harm you, a small sample of which you met recently in the forest."

"Fine, fine," Kaname said irritably. " I just mean, what the hell's going on here? One minute I'm trying to deal with Leonard, who I _thought _was just a skirt-chaser all this time, and then he tells me I have some kind of special powers and pulls a gun on me, and _then _a bunch of crazies in the forest decide they want to have me for lunch, or kill me, or take advantage of me, or _whatever _they were trying to do, I don't even _know _what was going on there…"

"Miss Chidori, I must ask that you allow me to explain the situation."

"If you can tell me what's going on, by all means, enlighten me."

"You're a very special person, Miss Chidori—" He wondered why she had just scowled at his word choice. Oh well. "—and as a result, your life is endangered. Do you know of the Whispered?"

_Whispered… _Kaname's eyes widened. Her mind flashed back to that moment with Leonard in the kitchen. _'It's because you're so special that my friends so desperately want to meet you…' _ "Yes. I've heard of them."

"We don't entirely understand the specifications—the report my colleagues and I received was woefully brief. However, we have come to understand that the Whispered hold within them the power to help or harm humanity."

"I know…someone…someone told me that already." Kaname had begun to shake.

"Then you understand the danger you are in?"

"No! I don't understand _any _of it!" Kaname cried, leaping to her feet. "I don't understand why I'm being targeted or why anyone would want to have me or why the hell I'm in danger! I'm just a normal girl!"

"Unfortunately, that is incorrect." Sousuke's eyes showed no emotion. "My colleagues and I have been ordered to see to your safety so that your power as a Whispered does not fall into the wrong hands. As such, you are to remain confined to this fortress until such time that your safety can be guaranteed."

"Fortress?" Kaname had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she began to realize her situation. "Is this Merida Fortress?"

"Correct."

"I thought it was supposed to be full of thieves and low-life scum!"

"You may refer to us in whatever terms as you wish. However, we will protect you, Miss Chidori."

"Fine," Kaname said with a resigned sigh. "Let me at least head home for a few days to get some things together."

"Negative, Miss Chidori. As I previously stated, you are to remain confined to this fortress."

"Confined to this…what are you telling me? I'm a _prisoner_?" Kaname gaped at the young man.

"Affirmative. I will take no chances with your—URK!" Sousuke felt his air cut off suddenly as Kaname's hands wrapped around his throat and squeezed.

"You can't keep me here against my will, you bastard!" Kaname yelled. "I won't let you!"

Sousuke finally managed to pry her hands loose, gasping for air. "My apologies, Miss Chidori. I do not view this assignment in a favorable manner, either. I have expressed my displeasure to my superiors and have been systematically overruled. I suggest that we learn to adapt to one another's presence." He scowled slightly.

"Oh, like hell!" Kaname yelled back. "You're keeping me here against my will and you expect me to 'adapt to your presence'?"

"Miss Chidori, as I said, we have no choice in the matter." Sousuke grabbed a torch from off the wall and held the heavy door open for her. "Now, if you'll follow me to your quarters."

"Oh, you're not going to keep me in the dark, musty cell?" Kaname asked sarcastically.

The two walked to Kaname's room on opposite sides of the expansive hall.

* * *

When they reached the tall doors leading to Kaname's new quarters, Sousuke handed her the torch and saluted sharply. "If you have need of anything, the servants will attend to you. Goodnight, Miss Chidori."

"Yeah, yeah, goodnight to you, too, Mr…um…"

"Sagara. Sousuke Sagara."

"Whatever." Kaname glared at him as she pulled the doors shut with a resounding thud.

The room was gorgeously decorated, with rich tapestries and candelabras adorning the walls. The rugs beneath her bare feet were thick and clearly expensive, and a king-size canopy bed loomed before her.

"They sure know how to live in places like this…" she mused aloud, staring at the décor.

A quick, staccato knock sounded at the doors. _I bet it's that jerk Sagara again, _Kaname thought, her features unconsciously twisting into a scowl. At this point, she'd almost prefer dealing with Leonard. "What do you _want?_" she asked in an overly-annoyed voice as she wrenched open the doors.

Instead of being greeted by the ever-stoic Sousuke, a small girl with large glasses and blondish-brown hair in twin braids stood smiling at her, a tea tray held in her hands. "Good evening, Miss Kaname," the girl said cheerfully, her smile widening. "I thought you might like some tea after the rough night you've had."

"Oh…thanks," Kaname said with a weak smile, holding the door open for the young girl. "It has been a little rough."

"I take it you're referring to Master Sagara?" the girl said with a knowing smile. "Don't let him get to you; he's always stiff and formal like that. I've never seen him open up to anyone."

"I think he's a jerk," Kaname said sourly, taking a porcelain teacup from the tray and pouring herself some steaming-hot chrysanthemum tea.

The girl laughed. "He's just very private and stoic. He'll probably get better once you get to know him."

"That's easy for you to say…um…"

"You can call me Kyouko," the girl said, her smile never wavering. "Is the tea to your liking, Miss Kaname?"

"Oh, just Kaname, please," Kaname said, returning the smile. "Yes, it's fine. So, Kyouko, do you know anything about what's going on here?"

"Well," Kyouko began slowly, "from what I've heard from the other servants, apparently there's another group out there—Amalgam, I believe they said—that wants to get hold of you, because of that special thing you are…what did they call it?"

"Whispered." Kaname felt a shiver run down her spine at the mere mention of the word. It was turning her life upside down.

"Right. Anyway, the leader is that Leonard guy who's been chasing you…" At the shocked look on Kaname's face, Kyouko smiled. "Don't be surprised at how much I know—servants are known for their information-gathering abilities!" She laughed, a pleasant, carefree laugh. "Okay, where was I? Ah, yes. Anyway, Master Sagara's organization, as well as that of Lady Mao and Master Weber—you'll probably meet them tomorrow—is called Mithril, and they've been assigned to protect you to make sure Amalgam doesn't get their hands on you."

Kyouko tilted her head to one side. "Is any of this making sense?"

Kaname stared at her wobbly reflection in her cup of tea. _It was true…it was all true… _A worried frown tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"Hey," Kyouko said soothingly, patting Kaname on the hand. "It'll be okay. You're safe here. And I'm sure that once you get to know Master Sagara, you two will get along splendidly!"

"Tokiwa!" Sousuke yelled sternly from the doorway. "How much information are you divulging to Miss Chidori?"

"As much as I want, _jerk!_" Kaname yelled, throwing the half-full teacup at the door. Sousuke quickly shut it before he could be burnt by the hot liquid, and the cup shattered against the door, the remaining tea running down the rich wood.

Kyouko looked back to Kaname, then smiled. "I think you two are getting along better already."

Kaname buried her face in her pillow and moaned.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

_**(Okay, this is such new territory for me. If it seriously sucks, I want to know! Comments and constructive criticism are very, very much appreciated.)**_


	2. Tears, Cold, and Warmth

**A/N: **Wow, thanks for the lovely reviews. This is the first fic that I'm really writing solely for my own enjoyment, so I'm glad others are enjoying it, too. FMP is just so difficult to write for…

I'll probably be updating this story much more quickly once my finals are done on the seventeenth. College, ugh.

Okay, now some notes. I'm trying to write this more as a parody than a period piece, mainly because history is not really my strong point. I'll try my best to make sure the details I choose to include are historically accurate, but this is more of a FMP-alternate-universe-semi-parody-of-_Beauty-and-the-Beast_. Try choosing that as your category sometime. Also, the main characters are going to be Sousuke and Kaname (I know, I'm a trend-setter, aren't I?), with Kurz, Melissa, and Kyouko serving as the supporting characters. I'd include Tessa but, well, I'm not a fan of her character, and I know I wouldn't be fair to her. Those who have read Boku-Tachi's novel translations know that Gauron's out of the picture and Leonard is, in fact, the key villain in the series now, so he's my antagonist.

* * *

Again, I'm much too long-winded. I leave you to the fic.

"She's in the hands of those bastards from Mithril!?"

Leonard continued to calmly sip his tea as the red-faced man before him slammed his fist down hard upon the rough wood of the table. His gaze was level as he asked, "Mr. Harris, would I be overstepping my bounds if I asked that you not reveal the names of top-secret organizations in impetuous outbursts while in public?"

Mr. Harris slowly turned to see several tavern patrons and serving wenches watching him curiously. He scowled and yelled, "What are you bastards looking at?"

The corners of Leonard's mouth turned down, and he rolled his eyes heavenward. "Mr. Harris, can we please return to the discussion at hand?"

"That brat was _vital _to furthering Amalgam's purposes," he said in a low, angry voice. "I don't care how important you are—just one of the Whispered isn't enough. And now you've let her fall into the hands of our arch-nemeses?"

"Current intelligence reports indicate that Miss Chidori is being held within Merida Fortress," Leonard said evenly. "While the structure is rather well-enforced, it is not impenetrable. I'd suggest that it would be possible to storm the fortress and re-capture her."

"Re-capture?" Mr. Harris repeated with a derisive snort. "As if you captured her in the first place."

Leonard ignored the interruption and continued. "However, mounting an assault would be reckless and ill-advised at the present time. We have yet to ascertain the number of soldiers currently guarding Miss Chidori."

"Well, you'll have to fix this mess _somehow_," Mr. Harris said irritably as he retrieved his coat and quickly tugged it on. "I will not allow one of my prized targets to aid the enemy."

"Yes, sir."

"And Leonard?"

Leonard calmly set down his teacup and eyed his superior with what appeared to be an air of amusement. "Yes, sir?"

"I don't give a damn what 'feelings' you may have for that little bitch. She's Amalgam's, not yours. Do you understand me?"

"Absolutely, sir." Leonard's lips formed a tight line as he attempted to suppress a smirk.

"Good. I'm returning to headquarters. Be sure to pick up the tab." With that, he was gone.

Leonard leaned back in his chair slightly, one hand upon his chin. "Miss Chidori…" he said aloud. _It was never my explicit intent to harm you, my dear. But I can't very well keep you to myself, can I?_

He smirked. _Sagara…this is one round you won't win._

* * *

_Mm…morning? _

Kaname sleepily opened her eyes to see the muted morning light streaming through the gauzy curtains. _I must've forgotten to close the drapes last night… _She shut her eyes against the light and snuggled more deeply into the blankets upon her bed. When had her bed gotten so comfortable? The pillows were so thick, the blankets so warm…

"Good morning, Miss Chidori."

At the sound of a seemingly random male voice so close to her bed, Kaname's eyes flew open, and she screamed loudly as she threw her pillow in the direction of the sound. It made a soft 'thud' as it made contact with whoever had invaded her room. "Who are you? Wh-what are you doing in my room!?" she asked fearfully as she attempted to adjust her eyes to the light.

"Miss Chidori," the figure said with a sigh as he placed the pillow upon the bed. "I would sincerely hope that we do not make a habit of this."

As Kaname slowly began to fully awaken, the events of the previous day came rushing back to her in a series of vivid images. _You're special, Miss Chidori…have some fun with her…we are here to protect you…you are to remain confined to this fortress…the Whispered…_

"What the hell is going on!?" she asked in a panicked voice.

"I believe we discussed the current situation last night, Miss Chidori," Sousuke informed her in a monotone. "However, if your memory is deficient, I am more than willing to once again inform you."

Kaname let out a low growl as she realized just who was in her room—that stupid jerk, Sousuke Sagara. "What do you think you're doing in my room, you bastard!?"

"Merely determining whether or not you had finally awoken."

"Well, as you can see, I have. Goodbye."

"Miss Chidori."

Kaname placed one of her pillows over her face and screamed into it. "_What_?" she asked in an annoyed voice that was muffled by the pillow.

"First, please remove the pillow. I doubt you will be able to hear me."

"That's the point."

Sousuke frowned in annoyance and reached over to pull the pillow away from her. As soon as her face was exposed, he was met with a very pointed glare. "Are you making it your life's work to annoy me?" Kaname asked irritably.

"Negative, Miss Chidori," Sousuke replied as he sat upon the edge of the bed. "However, I cannot help that you perceive me that way. Now, it is my duty to inform you of the rules to which you must comply while you are under our watch within the fortress."

Kaname continued to glare at him.

"First, you are to remain within the fortress at all times."

"Okay."

"Second, should you at any time feel endangered, you are to report to myself, Sgt. Weber, or Sgt. Mjr. Mao immediately."

"Sure thing."

"Third, should you cause any problems while within the fortress, you will be confined to your room until such time that you decide to comply with our rules."

"Got it."

Sousuke glanced up in annoyance to see Kaname inspecting her cuticles, a bored look upon her features. "Miss Chidori, I respectfully request that you grant me your full attention."

"No," Kaname said flatly, drawing her gaze from her cuticles long enough to afford Sousuke a pointed look.

"Miss Chidori—"

"Look!" Kaname yelled, angrily pulling back the covers and swinging her legs over the side of the bed so that her back was to Sousuke. "You've taken me away from everything I've ever known or loved, you've isolated me in some gloomy fortress, you won't even tell me _when _I can get out of here, and now you're telling me I have to abide by some stupid rules while I'm here?"

"Miss Chidori," Sousuke started. His monotone was still in place, but he was quickly becoming annoyed with her seemingly pointless resistance. "Neither of us has a choice in this matter. You do not wish to be guarded, as you feel that your confinement to the fortress has taken you from your normal life. I do not wish to guard you, as I feel my talents are being wasted guarding a single person."

"Then _quit_," Kaname said, her voice filled with anger and an odd emotion that Sousuke couldn't entirely determine.

"Unfortunately, I cannot. I was assigned to this duty." He moved his head to the side in an attempt to see her face and better understand the elusive second emotion in her voice, but her back remained towards him. "However, though neither of us considers this an ideal situation, it is necessary that we learn to adapt to one another's presence."

"Adapt to one another's presence…" Kaname repeated, shaking her head in disbelief. She jumped down from the bed and turned to face Sousuke, her eyes narrowed and filled with tears.

Sousuke was momentarily taken aback. So that was the second emotion—she had been crying.

"You just don't get it!" she yelled angrily, clenching her fists. "You don't understand what it must feel like for a normal person to be taken away from everything and be thrown headfirst into some kind of crazy military scenario!"

Sousuke remained silent, his eyes turned downward as he attempted to understand the strange feelings within him at the realization that he had somehow made her cry.

"I don't have a choice in this, so I'll have to make do. But _don't _tell me that I have to 'adapt to your presence' or 'get used to you' when you haven't made one goddamn attempt to understand what I'm going through! I don't even want to have anything to do with you!" she yelled, her shoulders heaving.

Sousuke stood calmly and turned to face Kaname. "Miss Chidori."

"What?" Kaname asked, once again fighting back tears. _I'll be damned if I let this bastard see me cry…_Part of her still hoped that he would show some shred of humanity, maybe tell her that it was going to be alright, that he understood what she was going through…

"Lunch will be served in the Great Hall at noon. Please be prompt." He granted her a short, stiff bow and then attempted to leave the room, his progress somewhat hindered when he was quickly knocked into a daze by the furious Kaname's expertly-thrown shoe.

Kaname sat down upon the edge of the bed, still somewhat dazed herself and emotionally fragile from her deepening realization of the seriousness of her situation. _But still…I wish someone could tell me exactly __**why **__I'm in danger…Whispered…_

She shook her head in attempt to clear her mind of the defeatist thoughts that threatened to overpower her. Kaname suspected that this might be a wonderful example of cosmic irony. "I _did _ask for something exciting," she said sourly. "Hell, I'd _love _to go back to my boring day-to-day life now. But with that stupid Sergeant Psycho running around keeping tabs on me, there's no way I'm getting out of here until I'm an old spinster woman." She scowled and punched her pillow. Just the mere _thought _of Sousuke…

Kaname silently smoothed out the dented pillow and hugged it close to her chest. As long as she was imprisoned within Merida Fortress, in her mind, her life was over. Now she'd never marry, never have children, never be just like her mother…

_Mom…_

She still remembered the last thing her mother had told her two years earlier. "Be strong, Kaname. I know you'll make me proud."

_What would she think of me if she saw me like this, crying and feeling sorry for myself just because I'm shut away from the world? _

The memory of her mother caused something to awaken within Kaname. No longer would she resign herself to this imprisonment; she was now determined to fight. Tossing the pillow aside, she narrowed her eyes and smiled. _I'll make you proud, Mom. I promise._

* * *

"Well, she's definitely one hell of a looker."

Melissa glanced at her subordinate in annoyance before turning back to her soup. "Who's a 'looker,' Kurz?"

"The girl—Kaname. I mean, did you _see _her? Those legs are to die for. Not that yours aren't great, too, Big Sister."

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, you snuck into her room while she was sleeping?"

"Well, to be fair, she's not sleeping now, right, Sergeant Serious?" Kurz laughed as he clapped Sousuke on the back. "Way to win her over, pal."

Sousuke remained silent as he stared at the rapidly cooling bowl of soup before him. The news of his fight with Kaname had quickly spread throughout the fortress, and while Kurz was thoroughly amused at the thought of Sousuke essentially getting his ass kicked by the girl he was supposed to be protecting, Melissa was concerned by the wedge being driven between the two. "I have no intent to 'win her over,' Kurz," Sousuke said flatly. "My assignment is merely to guard her until such time that our superiors determine that her safety is assured."

"Well, until then, you can at least be a little nicer to her," Melissa said pointedly, setting down her soup spoon.

"Ma'am?"

"Try to put yourself in her shoes. In a single day, you're nearly killed, taken away from your friends and family—"

"Ma'am, our report indicated that Miss Chidori has no family. Her mother has been deceased for—" Sousuke wisely stopped speaking when he observed the death glare pointed in his direction.

"As I was saying, she's been taken away from everything and thrown into Mithril's protection. We all have military backgrounds, so it wouldn't be a big deal for us, but _Kaname isn't one of us_. You can't expect a civilian to just grin and bear it when her life's effectively been destroyed." She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. "Is this getting through to you, Sousuke?"

"I believe so, Ma'am. However, as she has no other choice—"

"I think what our lovely Sergeant Major is saying, Sousuke, is that Kaname doesn't see it that way," Kurz said. "A beautiful girl like that locked away in a fortress? It's almost criminal. Luckily, she has Kurz Weber to comfort her on those lonely nights…!" His statement quickly turned into a shout as Melissa calmly reached over and dumped the contents of his soup bowl into his lap.

"I suppose it would be theoretically difficult for a civilian to adjust to a lifestyle such as this without warning…" Sousuke began, his thoughts unconsciously drifting back to the slight feelings of guilt he had felt when he observed tears in Kaname's eyes. _What made me remember that just now…?_

"Exactly. I'd think that what she needs now is someone to comfort her." Melissa's sharp look prevented Kurz from interjecting. "And I think it'd be a good idea if Sousuke—_not _Sergeant Sagara—were the one to do it. You might as well try to make friends with her."

"Getting attached to the mission objective is often a fatal error, Ma'am."

"I'm not asking you to marry the girl, for God's sake! I just don't want a repeat of this morning. Now go and apologize." With that, Melissa turned back to her lunch, effectively ending the conversation.

* * *

Sousuke was deeply in thought as he made his way to Kaname's quarters. 'Make friends with her,' Melissa had said. It was all he could do to sympathize with her situation.

Sousuke himself had been a soldier for as long as he could remember. Even as a child, he had served as a mercenary for various armies. War and danger had become his life's blood, and they were all he knew. Perhaps he failed to realize that a civilian like Miss Chidori would not understand that her confinement to Merida Fortress was a necessity. She had no doubt lived her life within the peaceful confines of her village, with death and destruction merely a distant threat. How could someone like Sousuke, who had spent his entire life on the front lines of war, possibly identify with someone like her?

His thoughts continued to drift back to that instant in which he recognized some semblance of the difficulty of her situation. She had tried not to let him see her tears and had clearly forced them back as a matter of pride. Sousuke never cried, although he assumed there must have been a moment in which he shed tears when he was an infant, but he understood the significance. Tears often meant sorrow.

The pieces slowly began to come together. Miss Chidori was not like him. She had been wrenched from her life and placed into a new, dangerous situation. She was more than likely upset and scared. And he had unwittingly made her feel worse.

These were the thoughts running through Sousuke's mind as he approached the heavy doors to Kaname's room. He had resolved to apologize as best he could when he knocked. "Miss Chidori?"

Silence from within. That was understandable, of course; she clearly wasn't speaking to him at this point.

"Miss Chidori?" he asked while knocking again.

Silence once again.

An alert began to sound in his mind that perhaps something was wrong. Removing his combat knife from the sheath at his hip, he slowly pulled open one of the doors…

…to find an empty room.

Sousuke's mind went into a panic. Had she left the room? How had she avoided the guards she would have inevitably come across?

It was at that moment that he noticed the sharp chill in the room emanating from the open window. He rushed over to it, only to notice the set of sheets tied together leading down to the ground.

* * *

"Damn it," Kaname muttered, sniffling and wrapping her traveling cloak more tightly around her frame. "When did it get so cold?" She gingerly tapped the surface of a puddle from the heavy rain several days before; it was frozen solid.

Escaping from her room had been easy enough; tying the sheets together and anchoring them to one of the bedposts was unbelievably simple. It was escaping the guards at the base of the fortress that had proven more difficult than she had anticipated. She was thankful that she had previously searched the drawers of her room's armoire in an attempt to find something to use as a weapon. Who knew a folded paper fan could be so handy?

She winced slightly at one particular memory. _Next time, Kaname, make sure that all the guys you knock the stuffing out of are soldiers. _She swore she hadn't recognized the priest until it was too late…

But that was behind her now. She was a good fifteen minutes away from the castle—even if that idiot Sagara and his pals had managed to realize that she had escaped, how close could they be?

Well, the fact was "very," but Kaname was far too busy congratulating herself on her cleverness to realize that.

"I really hope I'm on the right path home…" she mumbled to herself as she gingerly moved past a tangle of briars. It would have been wiser to stay on the main roads in order to ensure that she was indeed heading in the right direction, but that would have left her open to capture by Leonard and his "friends"…or worse yet, that Sagara jerk.

She scowled at the thought of Sousuke. "I hope that bastard gets flogged when they find out he let me escape." The thought somehow comforted her.

Kaname continued down the path in fairly high spirits, having somehow determined that she was sure to make it back to the village without any mishaps. Thus she was caught off-guard when she was suddenly grabbed by an unknown attacker and held still, one hand silencing her screams.

"Miss Chidori, my dear. You are indeed lacking in manners."

_Leonard! _Kaname's mind screamed, unable to see him but instantly recognizing the voice.

"It was quite inconsiderate of you to run off without even _talking _to my friends," Leonard said in a mock-scolding voice, smirking at Kaname's attempts to violently break free of his grasp. "And to then run off with another man? My dear Miss Chidori, what about _us_?"

Blood ran down Leonard's hand as Kaname sank her teeth into his flesh as deeply as she could, but he held fast, turning her to face his men. "Naturally," Leonard continued, "as your boyfriend made short work of the last team sent to capture you, I've had to replace my soldiers with men twice as strong and capable."

Kaname eyed the men warily. The group yesterday had been burly and clearly strong (the bruises upon her back from being flung to the ground could attest to that), but these men absolutely towered over her and were bulging with muscles. There were also ten, where there had been six in the previous incident. A sinking feeling crept into her stomach.

"And while I don't necessarily _want _them to do anything to you, my superiors are convinced that it's the only way you'll come quietly. So—" In one quick motion, Leonard removed a knife from within his coat and slashed two large tears into Kaname's shirt, partially exposing her chest. "Easy access."

Kaname's mind raced, her heart pounding in fear. _Wh-what am I going to do? _she thought in a panic.

"Don't feel bad, Miss Chidori. It's only because you're so special."

_Special…_

_**You just don't understand it, do you?**_

Kaname's eyes widened at the sound of another voice within her head. _Oh my God…the stress has finally gotten to me…_

_**They don't understand it, either. You can take them out easily.**_

"Shut up!" she screamed aloud, still struggling within Leonard's grasp.

His condescending smirk was quickly replaced by a look of intense interest. _She's finally realizing her power? _

"Leonard Testarossa!"

Leonard was so engrossed in his evaluation of Kaname's seemingly new-found abilities that he failed to notice the fist aiming straight for him and was knocked forcefully away from Kaname.

Kaname, still shaken but able to stand, turned to see Sousuke standing protectively by her side. He grasped her wrist and quickly pulled her behind him, using his body as a shield. "No one will touch this girl without first defeating me," he said darkly.

The men looked at one another and promptly burst into laughter. A mere _boy _was challenging them? Despite being outnumbered ten-to-one? "Boy, you'd better think again," one of them said with a laugh. "Go home to your mama and leave the fighting to us professionals."

His laughter ended abruptly when Sousuke suddenly charged and slashed his throat with his combat knife. His comrades, momentarily stunned, soon moved in to fight.

Kaname watched in fear from her place at the base of a towering oak. She was no longer thinking of how much she hated Sousuke, or how eager she was to get home; her only thought was that Sousuke was going to be killed solely because he had come after her. Guilt began to wash over her. _Mr. Sagara…I never meant for you to die because of me…_

Had Kaname actually been paying attention to the fight, however, she would have realized that Sousuke was far from dying. In fact, he was holding his own quite well, wielding his knife as though it were an extension of his arm. The men may have been stronger, but Sousuke was quicker. It wasn't long before five of the men lay upon the ground.

Sousuke frowned as he wiped the blood from his knife, glaring at the five remaining men as if daring them to challenge him. "If any of you wishes to—" His instincts alerted him a second too late to fully avoid the knife speeding towards him, and a sharp wound quickly opened along his side. He dropped to his knees and groaned, one hand pressed against the wound in an attempt to slow the bleeding.

"Damn fool," a smirking voice came from behind him. Leonard had awoken from the momentary daze Sousuke had dealt him. He turned to Kaname and smiled. "Don't worry, my dear—I'll whisk you away just as soon as I finish off your boyfriend here."

"You're…not taking her anywhere," Sousuke said in a determined voice as he pulled himself to his feet, his breathing labored.

Leonard glanced at Sousuke in surprise. "Well," he said with a smirk, "look who's still trying to play the hero. Let's see you take on the rest of my boys with that wound. I doubt you'll be able to move like before." He leaned back returned to observing the fight.

One of the men attempted a grab that Sousuke would have easily avoided had he been in prime fighting shape, but his movements had slowed due to his wound and also his exhaustion, having run through the woods in a desperate attempt Kaname before she met up with more members of Amalgam. Apparently he hadn't been fast enough. He was soon cornered and held at knifepoint.

"How should we make this son-of-a-bitch pay for hurting the others?" one of the men asked, pressing his knife more firmly against Sousuke's neck.

"I'd vote for skinnin' 'im alive, myself," another said, grasping Sousuke's hand and slicing his palm.

Kaname, meanwhile, was digging her nails into her own palms so hard that they bled. The voices had returned.

_**Give yourself over to me…my weaker self…**_

_No! Leave me alone!_

_**You have to!**_

_I don't have to do anything!_

_**You have to if you don't want him to die!**_

Kaname gasped as the thought of Sousuke dying while trying to return her to the safety of Merida Fortress resurfaced.

…_I'll do it._

And suddenly she was calm. Tranquility washed over her until she was entirely at peace with herself, floating in a watery world, unconnected to anything physical.

_**In moments of intense emotion...**_

Her eyes opened slightly, just enough to focus upon the men before her.

_**Images in your mind become real...**_

_He won't die because of me._

_**Use that power...**_

_I will…_

_**Now! **_

Sousuke grit his teeth against the pain from his wounds, silently damning the men to hell for their actions. Suddenly, the laughter around him stopped. "What the hell is that bitch doing?" he heard one of the men next to him ask incredulously. He was suddenly silent as he fell to the ground, followed quickly by his companions. Sousuke turned to see Kaname standing a few meters away, her hands clasped, eyes closed.

"Miss Chidori…" he began to ask.

Her eyes slowly opened. "Mr. Sagara…" she said weakly. Her knees gave out, and she fell to the ground. Sousuke rushed to her side.

"I'll be damned. She's harnessed her power."

Sousuke looked up angrily at Leonard's bemused tone. "It would be foolish for me to attempt to take her now. But don't worry, Sagara. I'll take her from you eventually."

"I'll protect her no matter what," Sousuke declared through clenched teeth.

Leonard smirked, then waved carelessly over his shoulder as he started back towards the village.

Sousuke watched him go, all the while holding Kaname. Pain radiated from his wounded side and hand, but his thoughts were focused entirely upon the girl in his arms. How had she defeated those men without lifting a finger? Would it be vital that she be placed under even closer surveillance now? Why had she run away in the first place?

The thoughts continued to race through his head as he carried Kaname back to the fortress on his back.

* * *

Sousuke added another log to the fireplace within the Great Hall, eyeing Kaname warily. "I would still like you to be examined by a physician."

"No, I'm okay," Kaname said absently, clutching the blanket around her shoulders more tightly and staring at the teapot next to her.

"Is there something unsatisfactory with the tea, Miss Chidori?"

"Huh? Oh, no. I just keep expecting the teapot to start singing for some reason."

Sousuke made a mental note to have her examined the next morning.

Kaname sipped her tea slowly, attempting to digest the day's events. If it were at all possible, she had begun to think that her life had become even more hectic. "I guess you were right," she said softly. "I _am _in danger."

"Miss Chidori…" Sousuke began, sitting next to her upon the hearth. "I apologize for my earlier words. I had not considered how difficult it must be for a civilian to adjust to a life such as this."

Kaname snorted quietly. "What made you realize that, exactly? You didn't seem to give a damn before."

"You were crying."

Kaname looked up in surprise. "What?"

"This morning, in your room. When the Sergeant Major informed me that I should be kinder to you, I realized that I had inadvertently harmed you. That was not my intent."

"Oh." Kaname remained focused upon her tea.

"It was upon my arrival at your quarters to speak with you that I noticed your absence. And I determined that to ensure your safety, it would be necessary for me to find you and return you to the fortress." He glanced at Kaname. "I also wanted to apologize."

"For being an insensitive jerk?" The words were the same as that morning, but a small smile graced Kaname's features now.

"In so many words, yes."

Kaname glanced up from her tea long enough to afford him a brief smile. "Apology accepted. And…I guess I can get used to being around you."

"That would be in both our best interests, Miss Chidori. I will adapt to your presence as well."

Kaname rolled her eyes. They were at last on speaking terms, but his stiff, formal speech was going to drive her crazy. "By the way…" Kaname swallowed. "Thank you…for saving my life, Sousuke."

Sousuke stared at her. "What?"

"I said, thank you for saving my life."

"You said my first name."

"…I did?"

"I had been led to believe that you truly thought my name to be 'you bastard'." Sousuke's voice had not deviated from his usual monotone, but the minutest smile had appeared upon his lips.

"Well…" Kaname shrugged nonchalantly, but she could feel a strong blush rising to her cheeks. "Thank you, anyway."

Sousuke poured himself a cup of tea. "And thank you for saving my life."

"Don't mention it," Kaname said with a genuine smile.

The night somehow seemed much warmer.

_**To Be Continued…**_


	3. Something There That Wasn't There Before

**A/N: **Um. Well. I know this chapter is several weeks past the deadline I had assigned myself, and I'm sorry, but my annual writer's block (Nov. – Feb. annually, 2 wks. pd. vaca / Xmas) has been kicking me in the ass rather hard this time around. I haven't been in the mood to write anything, from fics to LJ entries to…hm, that's about it. Anyway, I apologize again for the lateness of the chapter, and I promise to attempt to try to be more efficient next time…

Many thanks to cultnirvana, MJP, Kelek, and all of my FMP-minded friends—you keep me sane. Also thanks to all the readers and reviewers that have somehow upped the hit count on this fic to over a thousand. Smack me with a wooden spoon and call me Doris, this is fairly popular? o.O Now I'm intimidated.

* * *

"_I'll protect her no matter what!"_

Kaname stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought. She had collapsed from exhaustion shortly after that indescribable surge of power that had somehow saved Sousuke's life, but she could hear everything around her. It was an odd sensation, being somehow connected to the world through sound and spirit but wholly unattached, floating through some strange world that she couldn't comprehend.

But she could think about that later.

Now, all she could think about was the man who had saved her life. _'I'll protect her…' _ Her face flushed at the valiant declaration. The idea that someone she barely knew would risk his life to keep her safe…it was somehow chivalric and…romantic…

Kaname shook her head violently. "Don't you dare even _think _about _that _word, Kaname," she scolded herself through gritted teeth. "You're on speaking terms with that lunatic now, but that doesn't mean anything."

But…he _was _fairly handsome…and he had come to save her…and he apologized for making her cry…

Kaname's defenses immediately sprung to action at the wistful thoughts that had begun to fill her mind. Getting close to anyone was forbidden. If you don't begin to treasure them, then you won't get burnt when the inevitable fall-out occurs. That was her rationale, and it had protected her from emotional turmoil since the death of her mother.

Kaname sighed and burrowed deeply into the cocoon of blankets upon her bed. _We can be friends, and it'll stop there, _she thought with great conviction. _I'm not going to be anyone's fool. __**Ever.**_

She refused to acknowledge the face haunting her thoughts as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Sousuke remained in the Great Hall, absentmindedly poking the fire every once in a while to keep the embers burning. Kaname had retired to bed an hour earlier, but not before they had spent several hours talking about everything and nothing. She had revealed no earth-shattering secrets, but they had reached a point of civility. That would undoubtedly make his job much easier.

"Oh, Lord Sagara, what are you doing up?"

Sousuke turned to see Kyouko standing in the doorway, clad in a heavy bathrobe, her braids undone. "Oh, Tokiwa. I was just having some tea before bed."

Kyouko smiled slyly. "Then why are there two teacups?" She sat next to Sousuke on the hearth and grinned broadly.

Sousuke observed the young maid quizzically, not entirely sure what she was implying. "Miss Chidori accompanied me earlier in the evening, but she went to bed about an hour ago. The second teacup is hers."

"Ah!" Kyouko's grin broadened even more. "Sparks are flying already, huh? I knew you had it in you!"

"Sparks?" Sousuke turned to stare at the fireplace. "I'm afraid I don't entirely understand, Tokiwa. Is there a problem with the fireplace? Do you have reason to believe that there is a fire hazard in the fortress?"

Kyouko's sighed and dropped her head into her hands. "Nevermind." She shook her head. "Is Kaname okay? Well, 'okay' would be a relative thing after being accosted by those horrible men and nearly being forced to do despicable…_things_…"

"I've arranged for her to be examined by a physician in the morning," Sousuke said simply. "However, there seem to be no adverse effects of her encounter with Amalgam's agents."

"That's good to hear…" Kyouko silently collected the teacups and called over her shoulder, "Don't stay up too late, okay?" She smiled. "Goodnight, Lord Sagara."

"Goodnight, Tokiwa." Sousuke turned his attention back to the fireplace, suddenly deep in thought.

'No adverse effects…' Perhaps no physical effects—after all, he had borne the brunt of the attack for her—but who knew what she could be feeling emotionally after that bizarre…he wasn't sure _what _to call it. She had somehow taken out several trained assassins without moving an inch. It wasn't humanly possible to do such a thing…was it?

She had also collapsed shortly thereafter. Could using such strange powers eventually destroy her? Or drive her to insanity?

And when had he become so concerned for her well-being?

Such were his thoughts as he doused the fire and headed for his quarters, making a mental note to have a serious talk with Kurz and Melissa in the morning.

* * *

"A manifestation of her powers?" the shadowy figure known only as Mr. Steel asked.

Leonard nodded. "I find it quite interesting that she harnessed her powers at a higher starting level than I would have guessed. Such an inexperienced Whispered would be more apt to begin with disruption of thought processes and weak psychological manipulation, but Miss Chidori moved immediately into telekinetic attack maneuvers. For a Whispered to immediately have the ability to use a power of such strength suggests that she is on some level very aware of her status and has been cultivating her talents for some time, if unconsciously."

Mr. Steel stared at him.

Leonard sighed. Working with non-Whispereds could be so difficult. "She's been developing as a Whispered for a long time; she just didn't know it. But because she's had so much practice, the first time she used her powers was explosive."

"The Whispered have the ability to kill, though? Quite an interesting development."

"It's a higher-level ability, but yes, it's possible." Leonard paused. "I would advise against relying entirely upon the possibility that Miss Chidori might be used as some kind of living death machine, however. Whispered usually only have the ability to kill at whim during times of extreme emotional stress."

"But you informed me that she wasn't in any true danger at the time of her powers' manifestation."

A slow, devious smile crept across Leonard's features. "I'm glad you've brought that up—it's the reason I wanted to speak with you."

Mr. Steel cocked one eyebrow quizzically.

"It was Sagara. He saved her."

"Sagara…the same Sagara you battled in the regional conflict in the East?"

"The very same. He hasn't changed at all—still overly-chivalric and determined to 'do the right thing'." Leonard snorted. "But here's the interesting thing—Miss Chidori only managed to defeat my men via the power of the Whispered after Sagara's life was threatened."

"You think she fought to protect him because she has some sort of emotional attachment to him?"

"I'm saying that I think we now have a powerful bargaining chip with which to convince Miss Chidori to come to our side." Leonard's eyes had taken on a devilish gleam.

Mr. Steel smirked. "I see. When would you prefer to engage your plan?"

"I believe several weeks would be adequate. With Miss Chidori and Sagara both confined to Merida Fortress, the two will naturally become closer, and when we invade…"

"…Miss Chidori will be so emotionally attached to her protector that she'll gladly surrender?"

Leonard smiled.

Mr. Steel thought for a moment, then replied, "However many troops you need, I'll see to it that you get them."

Leonard bowed deeply. "Thank you, Sir." His smiled widened. _My lovely Miss Chidori…ah, what a tangled web we weave._

* * *

The next morning, Melissa listened carefully to Sousuke's retelling of the previous night's encounter with Leonard and his accomplices from Amalgam. "So you're saying she took down a bunch of muscle-bound assassins without even touching them?"

"Yes, ma'am. I wouldn't have believed it myself had I not borne witness." Sousuke still appeared somewhat uneasy.

"So, what, can she just kill at will or what?" Kurz asked, his brow furrowed.

"I—" Sousuke began. He thought for a moment, then started again. "Leonard Testarossa stated that she had 'harnessed her powers,' whatever that means."

"Her powers as a Whispered?" Melissa frowned.

"I suppose so."

"What exactly _are _the Whispered? I mean, what can they do?" Kurz asked. "Do we have some kind of definitive answer apart from Kaname's ability to slaughter brain-dead assassins with her mind?"

Melissa shrugged. "Maybe it's some kind of psychic thing. Hell if I know. But if she's in this much danger, we'd better double our security efforts."

"Absolutely, big sister. For instance, they could attack her when she's bathing, so I'll supervise her. The mere idea that the poor girl could be assaulted when she's nude and vulnerable…"

smack

Melissa ignored Kurz's muffled swearing as he nursed his injured nose. "So, Sousuke, _do not _let the girl out of your sight. If she escapes again, you'll find your balls in the moat. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Sousuke saluted.

"Now shut up and go get me something to drink," Melissa said with a dismissive wave. "After dealing with Weber for two hours, I need a buzz."

* * *

Kaname sat upon the window seat of her bedroom, watching a few lingering flurries dance through the air. Her eyes had begun to droop from sheer boredom; she'd already baked a pie, attempted needlepoint (which had lasted all of two minutes before she pricked her finger and threw the entire project into the fireplace), and taken a long bath. Entertainment options in the fortress were certainly limited. "Maybe I should ask Sousuke to teach me how to fire a gun," she said in a monotone. "At least it'd be better than sitting here watching it snow…"

"Would you like to get some fresh air out in the courtyard, Miss Chidori?"

Kaname shrieked and fell out of her seat, landing on the floor with a hard 'thud'. She groaned and rubbed her injured side, whining, "Sousuke, could you _please _stop sneaking up on me like that?"

"My apologies, Miss Chidori." Sousuke offered her his hand.

Kaname blushed slightly as she took his hand and hoisted herself to her feet. "Aren't you afraid that someone will attack me and use the snow as coverage?"

"Doubtful. You are quite safe within the fortress. Nevertheless, it would be advisable for you to stay by my side."

Kaname's blush deepened. _Oh, come on, girl, knock it off! _She tossed her hair carelessly and remarked, "Fine. If I have to put up with a military maniac like you in order to get some fresh air, I guess I'll make do."

Heavy snow had fallen for most of the morning, and the soldiers' attempts to clear the courtyard's pathways had resulted in towering drifts that came up to Kaname's chest. "This snow must have just come out of nowhere," Kaname observed.

"Be careful," Sousuke stated. "The pathways are somewhat icy."

They continued to walk in silence.

Kaname frowned slightly to herself. Why wasn't he saying anything? "So…did you talk to your superiors about yesterday's…incident thing?"

"Yes." He said nothing more.

"And…did they say anything interesting?"

"Nothing of true importance, no."

"Oh." Kaname focused her attention on her boots and she and Sousuke continued down the path.

In reality, Sousuke had no idea as to what he was supposed to talk about with his charge. What did they possibly have in common? Besides, he was her protector. A certain degree of distance had to be maintained in order to ensure that he was capable of…

Kaname's cheeks had flushed a bit from the cold, and several flurries clung to her waist-length blue hair. Occasionally she would steal a glance at him from the corner of her eye, but she remained largely focused upon the pathway. Sousuke continued to watch her surreptitiously, somewhat aware that couldn't entirely take his eyes off her.

…capable of being professional. Of not getting attached to the mission objective.

Sousuke sighed. Such was his lot in—

His thoughts stopped abruptly as he was struck in the face. A cold sensation immediately overwhelmed him, and his battle instincts kicked in. He had just begun to engage in defensive maneuvers when he heard a lilting laugh from beside him. He gingerly touched his face with one hand to realize that the enemy was not a bomb but a snowball. "Miss Chidori…?"

Kaname laughed as she formed another snowball between her fur-lined gloves. "Oh, come on, Sousuke! Live a little!"

"Miss Chidori, I ask that you do not compromise my reactions. I may become unable to protect you for a brief moment, and a moment is all the enemy needs."

Kaname shook her head and sighed. "You know, you are just _no _fun at all." She smiled wickedly and threw another snowball, this time catching Sousuke in the arm. "How's that for compromising your reaction—" She stopped.

Sousuke had winced slightly at the impact and was now carefully massaging his arm. "Sousuke—what's wrong?"

"It's…not a problem," he said through gritted teeth.

"It _is _a problem!" she said worriedly. "Let me see your arm."

"Miss Chidori, please…"

"Shut up and let me see it!" She grabbed the arm in question and rolled up his sleeve, gasping as she observed the deep gash that had undoubtedly been obtained during last night's scuffle with Amalgam. "Oh my God…"

"The wound has already been treated. The impact of your projectile merely caused pain from its close proximity to the bruises."

Kaname was suddenly wracked with guilt. Not just from the fact that she had inadvertently hurt him just by playing around, but that he had received such a horrific wound from his attempt to rescue her. How ungrateful had she been? Was she that horrible a person? "…I'm sorry, Sousuke."

"It's not a problem," he repeated.

"Here, let me see." Kaname tugged off her gloves and reached into her pocket for a handkerchief. Stopping briefly to wet it with a handful of snow, she began to dab at the wound. She knew that it wouldn't ease the pain, but she felt as though she had to do _something. _

Sousuke felt a blush rising to his cheeks as Kaname carefully tended to his wound, her features twisted with worry. The feel of her warm hand against his arm contrasted sharply with the cold handkerchief and made him that much more aware of her presence. She had stopped screaming and yelling for a few moments and was acting somehow…nice. Sousuke began to wonder at the strange warmth welling up from inside his chest.

Kaname finished her treatment and tied the handkerchief around his arm, giving her handiwork a final pat. "There. All better."

In fact, she had tied the handkerchief so tightly that Sousuke had begun to lose feeling in his arm, but he wasn't about to risk her wrath by telling her so. "Thank you, Miss Chidori."

"But you know…" Kaname hesitated. "You should be more careful. You don't have to go all gung-ho and crazy every time you think I need protecting."

"It's my duty."

"Fine, but try not to kill yourself, okay?" Kaname smiled weakly, then hesitantly laid her hand upon his arm, ignoring the fact that she was trembling slightly.

Sousuke gulped loudly at the contact; half of him was wondering why Kaname was acting so strangely, while the other half wondered at the strange emotion he had begun to feel since she first noticed his wound. He found that he could only nod in response.

From inside the fortress, a figure watched amusedly at the scene unfolding in the courtyard. "Heh, poor boy has a beautiful girl practically hand-delivered to him and he still doesn't know what to do with her," Kurz observed with a smirk. "You think he's falling for Kaname, big sis?"

Melissa looked up from her report long enough to scowl at her subordinate. "As long as it doesn't interfere with his duty, who cares?"

"I just think it's interesting."

Melissa growled and slapped down the paper, storming over to Kurz. "'Interesting,' huh? Well let me tell you something, our job is not to serve as a catalyst for whatever weird 'relationship' you've cooked up in that deluded mind of yours, alright? We have our own lives to deal with without focusing every second of our lives on Sousuke and Kaname, okay?"

Kurz smirked. "Is that some kind of commentary?"

Melissa punched him in the arm and returned to her work, but not before noting, "I will say this—if he _is _falling for her, we're in a hell of a lot of trouble."

* * *

_She was dreaming._

_It was an odd sensation—she __**knew **__she was dreaming, but she couldn't break free of the dream. All she could do was wander aimlessly through this strangely blank, watery world. __**Where am I…? **__she attempted to ask, only to find that she could not speak. She grasped her throat in fear._

_**You still don't understand? A pity.**_

_Kaname spun around to face the source of the sound, only to see nothingness stretching before her. __**Who are you? **__she thought, her mind frozen in terror. _

_**You saved him, you know. I was quite impressed that you managed to do so. **_

_Kaname continued searching blindly for the owner of the seemingly disembodied voice. __**It was just a fluke.**_

_**No. It is who you are, the source of everything you will become.**_

_Kaname growled, balling her hands into tight fists at her sides. __**For Christ's sake, stop speaking in riddles! I'm sick of all this 'Whispered' garbage! Would you just show yourself to me so I know I'm not going crazy? **__She turned her head at the sound of a slight chuckle to her right…_

…_to see herself. Not entirely a mirror image—the woman before her had darker eyes that held a sense of determination and conviction and somehow exuded a sense of danger. __**I am you, **__Kaname heard, though the woman had not spoken. __**Your stronger self. The source of your power. **__The woman smiled—a cold, dangerous smile. __**And should you choose not to develop and hone your talents, I will become you. The dominant persona.**_

_**Stop, stop, stop! **__Kaname thought desperately, tearing at her hair in frustration. __**What the hell is wrong with me?! **_

_**You're weak. I despise weakness.**_

_**Leave me alone, dammit!**_

_**Perhaps it would be better if you surrendered now…**_

Kaname sat up straight in bed, beads of sweat running down her forehead, her nightgown clinging to her body. Her breath came in sharp pants, and her head still swam from the vivid nature of her nightmare. _Goddammit, that creepy voice is going to drive me insane. _She let out a shuddering breath and lay back down, only to discover that she was too unnerved to fall back asleep.

She switched positions—on her side, stomach, back, and even attempting several yoga positions in an attempt to get comfortable—but every time she closed her eyes, the haunting image of her doppelganger loomed before her, taunting her.

Two hours later, sleep remained elusive. Worse, Kaname's paranoia had grown to the point that she was convinced that there was another person in the room with her, hell-bent on destroying her. Goosebumps rose up on her arms as she carefully inspected each corner of the room, and when her inspection bore no fruit, she became convinced that whoever was attempting to harm her was merely an expert at hiding.

_God… _she thought, wrapping her arms around her shaking frame. _There's only one way I'm gonna be able to get any sleep tonight… _She grabbed her robe and slippers and padded quietly down the hall to the third room on the left.

"Sousuke?" she whispered, squinting into the darkness of the room. "Sousuke, are you asleep?" A floorboard creaked loudly as she took one step forward, and Kaname suddenly found herself flung to the floor, a knife pressed against her throat.

"State your name and purpose," a husky voice stated from above her. "If you surrender quietly, I may be merciful."

"Sousuke," Kaname coughed, "it's me! Would you knock it off?"

The knife was abruptly removed from its position against her throat, and the room was suddenly lit by an oil lamp on the nearby table. Sousuke regarded her curiously, still clad in fatigues. _Doesn't he ever sleep…? _Kaname brushed aside her thoughts and asked, "Did I wake you?"

"Negative. I rarely allow myself to fall into a state that involves unawareness of my surroundings." He carefully sheathed his knife. "Was there something of dire importance that you needed to discuss with me?"

Kaname blushed slightly, then admitted sheepishly, "I…had a nightmare."

Sousuke stared at her. "A nightmare?"

"Yes, a nightmare!" Kaname snapped, clearly irritated. "But…it was so vivid, and that stupid voice in my head was _haunting _me again, and…"

"Voice in your head?"

"Don't interrupt!"

Sousuke wisely remained silent.

"It's just…it's so _vivid, _you know? And she tells me that she's going to destroy me because I'm so weak, except, you know, she's _me_, so I don't understand how she's going to destroy me, or maybe her, or whatever, and I…I just feel like something horrible's going to happen." Kaname frowned worriedly and focused her attention on her hands, suddenly feeling very foolish. _I woke him up just to tell him about the strange voices in my head and how I think someone's going to kill me through a dream. Brilliant, Kaname! Way to convince him you're sane!_

"Would you like me to stand guard in your room while you sleep?"

Kaname was torn from her thoughts at Sousuke's sincere question. Did he actually believe her? "You're going to give up your night's sleep just to protect me from a dream?" She shook her head. "You know what, I'm sorry I bothered you. I'll just go back to sleep and…" She turned to leave but was stopped by Sousuke grabbing her hand.

"If you believe that you're in danger," Sousuke said seriously, "it is not my place to question why. It _is_, however, my duty to ensure that you feel safe at all times. And I will fulfill my duty no matter what. I _will _protect you."

Kaname felt as though her heart had stopped. Here she was, in the middle of the night, acting like a scared little child upset by a bad dream, and Sousuke was holding her hand and promising to protect her from whatever monsters her mind conjured up. _What's happening to me? _she thought vaguely. Something had definitely changed in her attitude towards her protector…but she couldn't quite put a name to it.

"Only if you promise not to do anything perverted," Kaname said finally.

"Pardon?"

She yanked her hand away from his in order to poke him hard in the chest. "Nothing perverted, you hear? No peeking at me or touching me or coming within a three-foot radius of my bed. Got it?"

"Understood."

"…then I wouldn't mind having a bodyguard for tonight. _Just _for tonight, though."

"It is not a problem, Miss Chidori."

Sousuke escorted her back to her room, thoroughly inspecting it for intruders before declaring the premises safe. He sat cross-legged against the far wall as Kaname climbed into bed. "Remember, nothing perverted if you want to be alive in the morning," she said sternly as she settled her head against the pillow.

"Understood."

"And…" Kaname paused, gathering her courage. "Thank you. For helping me."

Sousuke merely grunted in response, examining his weapons.

"And Sousuke?"

"Hm?"

"Don't…don't leave me, okay? Not until morning."

"I promise."

"…goodnight, Sousuke," she said finally, closing her eyes.

Sousuke watched her carefully as her breathing deepened and became more even, indicating that she had fallen asleep. She had been afraid…but of what? Kaname was a strong, forceful woman; it didn't seem logical that she would be so afraid of a mere dream. There had to be something else, something more sinister at work.

But that could wait until morning.

Sousuke sighed and laid his head against the cool stone wall. Life had been so much simpler when he had been nothing more than a mercenary, fighting battle after battle, suppressing human emotion for the sake of the fight. Emotion was a true liability.

But…

But now someone needed him to protect her. She was angry and peevish, with a violent temper, but she clearly had a kind side. And Sousuke was still attempting to determine her motivation behind her careful tending of his wound earlier in the day.

It was all unbearably confusing…but for some strange reason, Sousuke found that he didn't really mind.

And when she awoke in the morning, he was still by her side.

_**To Be Continued…**_

* * *

_**End A/N: Oh Lord, and here we go with the squishies. I really hope I kept everyone (mostly) in-character. Sousuke's not one to be overly-romantic, so I imagine he'd be more confused about his feelings towards Kaname than anything else.**_

_**Anyway, that's chapter three for you. Sorry for the wait! Comments, criticism, and death threats are all welcome. Oh, and flames, too. I don't get nearly enough flames, and they amuse me so! I feel somewhat unloved…or perhaps unhated. Which is even worse.**_


	4. Promises

**A/N: **Okay, I suck. I hate to think that a month between updates is going to become my standard, but I had the wonderful idea to take nothing but English and communication courses this semester, which equals way more writing than I necessarily want. This is what I get for being an English major.

Anyway, I apologize for the lateness, etc. etc. Hopefully the chapter is good enough to keep the dogs at bay, so to speak. If I follow the outline I've now written, we're looking at three more chapters instead of one or two, mainly because I always do a horrible job at judging the length of my stories at the onset but also because I decided to throw in another plot twist. Bad Anysia, no biscuit. So…yeah, we're just about to the halfway mark. You'll know it when you get to it.

I should probably also mention that I love cliff-hangers, and I haven't used one in awhile…

Thanks to cultnirvana, MJP, Lakewood, Kelek, Kira85, and Andrei Burnside, for various reasons. You should all know why.

* * *

Leonard exhaled calmly, his breath freezing before him in the cold night air. Weeks now…and still the maiden Chidori remained under the protection of Mithril. His spies had barely even managed to catch a glimpse of her, as she remained under the intense scrutiny of Sousuke Sagara. "The kid never leaves her side," one of the disheartened scouts had informed him.

Perfect.

A slow smile spread across his features as he leant against the solid trunk of the oak tree behind him. _I think it's about time Sagara returned to battle. Such a callous murderer must be out of his element protecting a beautiful young maiden such as Miss Chidori._

Leonard touched his fingers to his lips as he saw the woman in question carefully peer out the large picture windows of her chambers, a questioning look upon her features. Had her powers been more fully-developed, she would have detected him in a second, but for the time being, he was in no danger.

_Soon, my dear._

He stole one final glance at the fortress before turning and making his way back through the forest.

* * *

"Are you all right, Miss Chidori?"

Kaname continued to stare into the darkness, the nagging feeling at the back of her mind refusing to disappear. _I could have sworn there was something out there…_

"Miss Chidori?" The feel of a hand gently touching her wrist tore her from her thoughts. She turned slightly just in time to see Sousuke's brow furrow.

"Oh…" Kaname ignored her slight sense of danger and patted Sousuke's hand reassuringly. "It was probably just a fox or something. I thought I saw…" She shook her head. "Well, never mind what I thought I saw. I think I'm just tired."

"If you believe that you are in immediate danger, I should inform the guards immediately." His eyes were deadly serious. "I won't allow anything to happen to you, Miss Chidori."

Kaname immediately tamped down the combination slight-shaking-and-feeling-of-warmth that seemed to strangely occur whenever Sousuke was near, mentally citing a cold as its cause. The fact that said cold would have now been plaguing her for over a month and that a cold couldn't have brought upon warmth and shaking in the absence of a fever anyway was of no consequence. Sousuke wasn't bothered by her presence in the slightest, and she'd be damned if she was the first one to show any signs of weakness. Yes.

Now, if our heroine were less apt to immediately suppress all emotions save anger and indignation as a means of emotional defense, she would have noted that her protector had a tendency to break into a sweat at the slightest smile from her, and he would often stare at her for far longer than was ever necessary for observation purposes.

But, as she was, it was far easier to vilify her guardian.

_Jerk, _she thought irritably. _I can't be __**that **__repulsive._

Sousuke carefully removed his hand from Kaname's wrist, hoping that she didn't notice the beads of sweat forming upon his brow. He had yet to fully discern why being near her caused such a reaction, but despite the discomfort, it was somehow…nice. At any rate, she had somehow awoken long-dormant emotions that he had never believed he had.

_I want to do something for her._

But what could he do? He had no true knowledge of anything save military maneuvers and self-defense, neither of which had sparked her interest.

_But…I want her to be safe… _Suddenly, it hit him.

Literally.

"Stop staring into space, idiot!" Kaname yelled as she massaged her knuckles, now slightly reddened and sore from the force of the blow she'd delivered to Sousuke's stomach.

"Miss Chidori, would you please meet me at the far side of the fortress tomorrow afternoon?"

"For what?" Kaname asked irritably. Damn, she'd inadvertently cut herself. That'd better not leave a scar…

"I would like to instruct you in the proper use of the bow; I'd feel safer if you knew how to properly defend yourself. There may be times when I am called to battle, and I would not want you to be vulnerable in my absence. "

"Vulnerable," Kaname repeated in a deadpan voice. "I'm vulnerable without you?"

"I'm not necessarily suggesting that. However, you do lack the necessary strength and training required for—"

"'Vulnerable' _this, _you jerk!"

When Sousuke awoke, he had the vague memory of being beaten over the head with a candlestick that he strangely remembered having a French accent.

He merely attributed it to the concussion.

* * *

Morning had dawned bright upon the fortress, bringing with it the first above-freezing temperatures the village had seen in nearly a week. The deep snow drifts had melted to little more than patches of slush, and the ice floes within the moat had begun to disappear. The birds had once again begun to sing, and winter seemed to be on the retreat.

However, the peaceful ambience was somewhat ruined by the angry young woman storming down the stony path towards the archery range, her features twisted into a scowl.

"'I'd feel safer if you knew how to defend yourself,'" Kaname repeated in a mocking tone, awkwardly carrying the bow she'd found in the armory in front of her. "What about the 'I'll always protect you' thing, huh? Jerk." She absent-mindedly kicked up a patch of slush. "I hope this damn thing is a 'recurve' bow… Oh, what the hell, it's good enough. At least it's sorta curved…" She frowned. "I guess… Now where the hell did Sousuke say to meet him?"

As she continued down the stone path, Sousuke's words echoed through her head. 'Vulnerable.' The bastard had called her 'vulnerable'! She, a strong and forceful woman if ever there was one? "Vulnerable, my ass," she said in a sulky tone. "I'll just have to completely kick his ass at target practice today. Settle the score."

On some deeply subconscious level, Kaname registered the true meaning behind his words—he wanted to protect her. He wanted her to be safe. And he wanted to teach her everything he knew.

But for now, she was far too angry over how the implied insult had stung her pride to notice that he was really just looking out for her best interests.

_That concerned look in his eyes was __**completely**__ coincidental. _

_That military maniac doesn't even __**have **__feelings._

_I am __**not **__qualifying the situation._

Such were her thoughts as she came upon the range. Sousuke was already practicing, his eyes set with a deadly determination she had rarely seen as he quickly nocked an arrow and let it fly, the shaft sinking deep into the center of the target.

"Um, good shooting," Kaname said uneasily, setting down her bow.

Sousuke merely nodded in response. "Are you ready?"

"I...I guess so," she said simply, wondering if this was a good idea. _I have no idea what the hell I'm doing… _But, of course, she wasn't about to let Sousuke know that.

Sousuke's features softened somewhat. "Miss Chidori, if you're uncomfortable with learning at the present time, I'm sure it would be of no consequence to postpone…"

"No!" Kaname objected quickly. "No, no, I can do this. I mean, how hard can it be?" She attempted to appear confident as she mimicked Sousuke's earlier actions and nocked an arrow. _What did that guy at the armory say…was it "keep your wrist rigid" or "keep your wrist loose"…? _She wasn't entirely sure, but she wouldn't dare ask Sousuke. She was supposed to be strong, forceful…the complete opposite of vulnerable.

Kaname closed her eyes and drew a deep breath, then let the arrow fly. She fought back a fierce blush when it went all of a foot.

"Miss Chidori…"

"Shut up!" she yelled angrily, throwing the bow at him. "I do _not _need your help with this! And I don't need your stupid 'instruction' or anything else! I'm not vulnerable!"

Sousuke sighed and approached her, attempting to place the bow back in her hands. "You're not vulnerable, Miss Chidori. In fact, you've inflicted physical damage upon me more often than I'd care to admit. I merely want to know that you're safe, and I'd rest easier if I knew that your self-defense didn't rest solely upon your physical strength."

Kaname stared at him, that strange warm feeling once again filling her chest. She hated him for that—just when she was once again sure that he was an unredeemable jerk, he came along and acted so kind and considerate that she couldn't help but…

_Stop, stop, stop! _She shook her head violently. Damn him for confusing her like this!

"Miss Chidori?" Sousuke asked quizzically. "Are you all right?"

"…I suppose there's no harm in giving it one more shot," she stated defensively. "But just _one_, understand?"

"All right," Sousuke agreed. "Let me see your form."

"My…form?"

"Your stance."

Kaname confusedly held up the bow and glanced back at Sousuke. "Um…I guess this is it."

"Spread your feet a little farther apart."

Kaname's confusion was still evident as she inched her feet apart. She continued to grip the bow somewhat awkwardly. "Better?"

Sousuke frowned a little. "Here. If you'll permit me to show you…"

"How the hell are you going to—" Kaname's breath hitched in her throat as Sousuke strode over and stood behind her, reaching around to position her hands upon the bow.

"You're too tense," he observed simply, his hands still lingering.

Kaname was certain he must have been able to feel her shaking. She was grateful for the fact that her face was turned away, as she was certain her cheeks had long-since been stained crimson. _He's too close…_

"Do you…think you understand now?" Kaname was almost certain she heard a slight tremor in Sousuke's voice but chalked it up to her own nervousness.

Kaname shut her eyes tightly. There was still a slight chill in the air, but Sousuke was so warm… She could probably just lean back…

Her defenses chose that moment to strike.

In one swift motion, Kaname wrenched herself out of Sousuke's loose embrace and swung her bow, cracking him upside the head. "I've _got _it, okay?" she yelled angrily, mentally wondering why her indignation was always in direct proportion to Sousuke's closeness. "I told you I don't need your help."

Sousuke winced and massaged the tender flesh that Kaname had just injured. "As long as you are safe, I believe that's enough."

"Yeah, you want me to be safe because of your mission, right?" Kaname noted in a mocking tone.

Sousuke's gaze was level as he simply responded, "That's one of the reasons."

Kaname felt her heart skip a beat, but Sousuke merely continued, "I would like to teach you the oblique stance next. I believe that your upper-body strength is sufficient to adequately shoot from the position." He carefully inspected the tips of his arrows.

Kaname swallowed hard and pretended to be fascinated by her bow, her mind racing in an attempt to decipher his words. One word desperately attempted to push to the forefront of her thoughts, but there was no way she would even contemplate the meaning of _that _word. Not the "L." _Anything _but the "L."

She waited patiently for that familiar feeling of warmth to once again dissipate, as it always did, but it stubbornly persisted.

Kaname worried her lip between her teeth, purposely keeping her eyes upon anything except Sousuke.

_This is no cold._

* * *

"'Conflict,'" Mr. Steel repeated simply.

"I'd say possibly a Level Two, lower level combat requiring the presence of soldiers with expertise in hand-to-hand combat," Leonard replied.

"…i.e. Sagara."

"Exactly."

"I had been led to believe that your plan was to endanger Sagara while he was in the presence of the Whispered girl, thus causing her to surrender without a fight." Mr. Steel tapped the flintlock at his hip, a nervous habit he had taken to some time ago.

"That was before." Leonard retrieved a folded piece of paper from his coat pocket and handed it to his superior without a second glance. "An intercepted message from the higher-ups at Mithril to the soldiers of Merida Fortress. I believe its contents require a change of plans."

Mr. Steel's eyes widened as he scanned the message quickly. "This is…"

"I believe that drawing Sagara out and keeping him as far away from Chidori as possible would be prudent, given the current intelligence," Leonard interrupted. "Now, about those troops…"

"You'll get them," Mr. Steel stated, shaking his head in disbelief. "Good Lord, how stupid are those goons at Mithril?"

"It's astounding." Leonard smiled coldly. "I assume you want this message delivered in a timely fashion?"

"As timely as possible, Testarossa. And if you screw up this one, there's no turning back. Understood?"

"Absolutely, sir." Leonard granted him a mock-salute, his cold grin never fading.

_Sooner than I had thought…_

* * *

Sousuke had never been so confused in his life.

He tapped his pen against the cherry wood desk, attempting to return his thoughts to his daily report but once again finding himself sidetracked.

Kaname.

Sousuke shook his head in a vain attempt to clear his head. He remembered his words to Melissa when their unit had first been assigned to guarding Kaname... _"Getting attached to the mission objective is often a fatal error, Ma'am."_

Was he attached?

Emotions were a constant source of confusion and strain for Sousuke; after all, a good soldier had no use for affection, sympathy, or any of the things "normal" people felt. Becoming a killer required a measure of detachment. Of coldness.

Kaname had unwittingly turned his world upside-down.

She was brash, to say the least. Angry, violent, short-tempered… But there were those fleeting moments when she showed concern, when she was afraid, when she dropped her defenses…

…when he knew she needed him.

Sousuke had never become attached to anyone; he'd seen too many friends and colleagues die. But Kaname was somehow breaking him down, and he'd only just begun to realize it.

He remembered her warmth as he positioned her hands upon the bow. It had been entirely innocent, and yet he had felt his heart beating faster, a blush immediately rising to his cheeks at the contact.

He still didn't understand any of it, but…

…but he knew that she had somehow become more than just a mission.

"Sousuke, I need to have a word with you."

Sousuke was torn from his thoughts at the sound of Melissa's voice. He glanced up in time to catch a glimpse of her troubled visage before she disappeared into the hallway.

"Ma'am!" Sousuke caught up with her easily. "What's wrong? Is there a problem with Miss Chidori?"

"Not with her," Melissa said frankly. She handed him a carefully-wrapped message. "Orders from the top. Conflict's broken out in the Eastern province, and you've got orders to move out tonight."

"Amalgam?"

"They're not sure."

"But what about…" He glanced towards the Great Hall, where Kaname was once again attempting needlepoint with the help of Kyouko.

"Don't worry, Weber and I can take care of her," Melissa assured him. "Look, they specifically mentioned a need for soldiers good at hand-to-hand, and you're one of the best around, Sousuke."

"But…" Sousuke still seemed unsure.

"It's an order, sergeant! Now, we'll take good care of Kaname until you get back, but until then, get out there and give 'em hell, okay?" Melissa's stern countenance clearly left no room for discussion.

Sousuke furrowed his brow slightly. He had been a soldier all of his life. Normally he wouldn't pay combat a second thought. But now…

"Yes, ma'am," Sousuke answered with a sharp salute, though his voice lacked its usual devotion to the mission at hand.

* * *

"And here, now you need a quarter-stitch," Kyouko stated cheerfully, tapping the fabric with her thimble-encased finger.

"My cow's ear is crooked," Kaname grumbled as she tilted her half-completed cross-stitch to one side.

Kyouko observed it with a critical eye. "Hmm…yeah, I don't think it's supposed to look like that. Why don't you just take out the stitches and start over again?"

Kaname growled loudly and tossed the entire work into the fireplace. "Damn cow," she muttered. "Where the hell is Sousuke? Wasn't he supposed to be down here by now?"

Kyouko shrugged lightly as she closely examined the outline of her needlepoint turtle.

Kaname frowned and started out of the Great Hall, shivering in the suddenly cool air. _Strange…it's been so warm all day… _She glanced out one of the large windows just in time to see snow begin to fall, the flakes glinting as they caught the moonlight. "Strange…" she observed uneasily. Kaname wrapped her arms around her shivering frame as she made her way through the hall, the lit candelabras upon the walls flickering in the chill breeze and sending shadows across the small space.

Kaname suddenly felt unsafe. She walked briskly towards the heavy doors that marked the entrance to Sousuke's room and threw them open…

…to see him hastily packing his things.

"Sousuke?" she asked questioningly. "What are you doing?"

He glanced up from his work long enough to discern the presence within his room. "Miss Chidori, I'm afraid I've been called to battle. A…conflict has arisen."

"Is everything okay?" Kaname asked uneasily.

"The briefing suggested otherwise," he stated simply, closing his bag and slinging it over one shoulder. "Sergeant Major Mao and Sergeant Weber will see to your safety while I'm away." He quickly saluted her and made his way down the hall.

"Wait, wait a second, Sousuke!" Kaname cried, rushing after him. "Are you going to be okay?"

Sousuke stopped suddenly, his back to Kaname. He suddenly found that he couldn't face her. "…I should be fine," he finally answered.

"You're lying to me! You don't even _know_, you bastard!" she yelled, grabbing his arm and forcing him to face her. "Listen, you swore you'd protect me, and if you don't, I'm gonna introduce you to a world of pain, you got it!?"

Sousuke could only nod dumbly at the infuriated young woman before him.

"And—I hate people who break promises," she said, her voice softening. "So I expect you to keep this one."

"This one?"

Kaname closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I need you to promise that you'll come back to me."

Sousuke swallowed hard, wondering when he'd begun to sweat. "Miss Chidori, I—"

Kaname opened her eyes and immediately began to stammer, "I—I mean, because I'm still having trouble with the whole archery thing, and you promised you'd teach me, you jerk!"

Sousuke hesitated. As a soldier, there was a strong possibility that he could die on any mission. To promise to come back was irresponsible; there was no way he could guarantee such a thing.

Kaname had bowed her head slightly, and Sousuke was able to detect a slight tremor in the hand at his arm.

He couldn't…

"I promise, Miss Chidori."

She raised her head and nodded stiffly. "You'd damn well better." The candlelight reflected a slight shine in her eyes, but Sousuke decided that it would be easier if he chose to ignore it.

Kaname felt her heart pounding in her chest as Sousuke approached the main gate door. _What if he doesn't come back? What if he's killed? What if…_

Inhibitions be damned. She ran after him as fast as she could. "Sousuke! Wait!"

He turned back to her, his features barely visible from within the dark shadows. "Miss Chidori, I have to—"

"And _I _have to tell you! I…" She bit down hard on her lower lip. _Come on, Kaname! _"I…"

Sousuke stared at her.

"I…I wanted to thank you for teaching me all that archery stuff today."

_You __**coward**_, her inner voice said in disgust.

"You're welcome…I suppose." Sousuke's voice clearly displayed his confusion.

"And…you promise you'll be back, right?"

"I promise."

"Well…in that case, what are you waiting for? There could be civilians dying out there! Move it, Sergeant Clueless!"

Sousuke merely shook his head as he made his way towards the transport that would take him to the battlefield.

Kaname blinked back the stirrings of tears in her eyes, refusing to acknowledge that she even cared about Sousuke's well-being, let alone the fact that she was terrified that she'd never see him again. "…inconsiderate jerk!" she shouted, kicking the stone wall with one slipper-clad foot.

She suddenly stopped, drained of all her indignant anger. _Inconsiderate… _"I wonder who the inconsiderate one is," she mumbled. "I'm probably just being selfish…" Sousuke was a fighter, but his job was to destroy evil, to protect the weak.

_People like me, _she thought sullenly. Maybe she was being too hard on him. He really was trying his best, and someone as strong-willed as she was couldn't possibly make it easy for him.

_I'll try to be nicer to him when he gets back, _she mentally promised.

* * *

Kaname sullenly stirred her tea, gazing blankly at the distant wall. Sousuke had been gone for just under a week, and she was already bored out of her mind. It was amazing how much he had grown on her, to the point that she didn't really know what to do with herself when he was gone.

It was…quiet. Quiet and boring.

Kurz and Melissa exchanged glances as Kaname sighed once again—a long, drawn-out sigh that seemed to contain every ounce of ennui she contained. "How long is she going to keep stirring that same cup of tea?" Kurz wondered aloud.

Melissa shrugged absently. "Who knows? Until Sousuke gets back?" She frowned. "Are you okay, Kaname?"

"Fine," the young woman responded in a flat voice.

_Sousuke…I hope you're okay…_

"It's not like I'm worried about Sousuke or anything," Kaname stated defensively. "I don't even care if he comes back."

"Oh?" Kurz asked slyly, beginning to lean across the table before receiving a sharp backhand from Melissa that landed him face-first in his soup.

"The report stated that it's pretty much low-level," Melissa told her. "He should be back in another week or so. Try not to worry about him too much; Sousuke's a pro among pros."

"And when he gets back, you can grant him a lady's favor!" Kurz declared, arching an eyebrow suggestively before once again ending up in his soup.

Kaname's eyes widened. "Wait a second, you think Sousuke and I are…?"

"Don't listen to this pervert," Melissa said with a scowl, pressing Kurz's face into the soup bowl. "He'd manage to find something sexual about fuckin' Sunday Mass."

Kaname nodded absently. "Really, Sousuke and I are…friends. And we're barely even that, you know?" She left her tea on the table, wringing her hands nervously. "I mean, that lunatic could _never _see a girl like that. Ever!"

"Probably not," Melissa agreed. "But I guess you're still looking forward to him coming back?"

"Well…" Kaname began awkwardly. "He…still has to teach me how to use the longbow."

Melissa nodded in understanding. "I'll be sure to remind him when he gets back."

"Okay." Kaname glanced at her tea. "I…think I'll go get some rest. I'm a little tired."

"Goodnight," Melissa said simply, finally letting go of Kurz's hair and allowing him to breathe.

Kaname smiled slightly and once again made her way down the hall.

It was even colder than it had been earlier in the week, she noted with a worried frown, wrapping her robe more tightly around her frame. She squinted into the darkness, noting that ice had begun to mingle with the steadily-falling snow. _Isn't ice some kind of bad omen…? _

Kaname shook her head at the thought. She'd never been one for superstitions, and to believe in one now seemed silly. Kaname suppressed the all-too-familiar nagging at the back of her mind and started towards her room, casting one last worried glance out the window.

Back in the Great Hall, Kurz tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I think she's got it bad for him. And vice-versa."

"Fine." Melissa dipped the crust of her bread into her soup.

"Do you have something against romance, sis? I think it's cute."

"I said that I didn't have a problem as long as it didn't interfere with Sousuke's duty," Melissa stated pointedly, "but I think he's starting to get too attached. I swear, one of these days he's going to start refusing missions to be with her, and that's _not _a desirable quality in a soldier. Personally, I don't feel like getting my ass in a sling because Sousuke's all googly-eyed and can't be bothered to follow orders."

Kurz shrugged. "He's still following orders, sis. And besides, I think it's better for him to actually be, I don't know, _human, _instead of practically being an automaton."

Melissa stared straight ahead. "I guess so."

"And I have a feeling he'd be a wreck if anything happened to her."

"Maybe."

"So we'd better take pretty good care of her until he gets back," Kurz finished.

"I'd planned on doing that anyway," Melissa informed him as she sipped her soup. "It's our _mission, _for Chrissake."

"Well, the mission objective's retired for the night, and Sousuke's gone for the week…" Kurz smiled devilishly. "I'd suggest that we…"

Melissa didn't even blink as she cracked him over the head with her soup spoon. "_You _can go do it by yourself."

Kurz muttered a string of curses as he nursed the quickly-swelling bump upon his head.

"You know, if you could just be _serious _for once…" Melissa began.

"Ow…if I could be serious, you'd what?" Kurz asked, wincing slightly.

Melissa frowned. "I'd—"

"Sergeant Major!" One of the guards rushed into the room, a piece of paper gripped tightly in one hand.

"_Damn_," Kurz swore emphatically. "That's the closest I've been in two years."

Melissa strode over to the young soldier, who was busy dusting the snow and ice off his coat. "What is it, kid?"

"A message from the higher-ups, Ma'am," he replied, saluting sharply. "Something about the mission."

Melissa frowned and tore open the sheet, her eyes widening slightly as she observed the carefully-written text:

"_Mission Guardian Angel has been terminated as of 2100 hours. Mission Objective is to be returned to her home village. Any and all contact is now prohibited. _

_Have a wonderful evening."_

_**To Be Continued…**_

* * *

_**End A/N: Oh, like you **__**didn't**__** expect a cliffhanger after my blatantly obvious A/Ns at the start of the chapter. And, I'm sorry to say, I guarantee that the next two will as well. This is what happens when you reach the climax of the story; all hell breaks loose. **_

_**Well, that's chapter four. Here's hoping you all enjoyed it, since a lot of work did go into it, despite the underdeveloped prose and whatnot. Comments, criticism, flames, death threats, and any combination thereof are more than welcome.**_


	5. Separation

**A/N: **Let's see, February, March, April… Okay, it's been an unacceptably long time. I'd apologize and cite several real-world problems that have kept me from being the most conscientious of authors, but whatever—you kids are here for the fic, right? Thus I'll keep the notes short this time around.

My undying love goes out to anyone who's still reading this. I write for my enjoyment, yes, but anyone who tells you that s/he's posting hir fics online and doesn't give a damn about feedback is almost certainly a miserable liar. We writers are such ego-whores.

We now return to "Beauty and the Otaku," already in-progress.

* * *

Slim fingers gently touched the cold surface of the expansive picture window. Ice continued to glint in the thin beams of moonlight crossing the courtyard; slick patches had already begun to form upon the stone pathways.

Kaname frowned at the sight, all the while attempting to quiet the insistent nagging at the back of her mind. _Something's wrong. Dammit, something's __**wrong...**_

"Oh, shut up," she muttered irritably to her inner voice. It could be so utterly defeatist sometimes.

Yet she couldn't halt the shivers that continued to run down her spine, and her equivocations that they were simply a result of the cold winter air rang hollow.

"This is just _stupid_," Kaname finally asserted as she leaned against the window, her eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance, lips pursed. "Everything's going to be fine. Sousuke'll come back from his mission and everything will be back to normal…"

_Sousuke_.

Kaname was largely ignorant of military maneuvers, but she'd heard stories of soldiers dying horrible deaths on the battlefield, missing limbs, eviscerated…

A brief yet painfully vivid image of Leonard slicing Sousuke's throat, blood gushing as Leonard's steel-grey eyes glinted with ever-present menace, flashed through her mind and refused to fade.

Kaname's annoyance evaporated immediately at the vision. She shut her eyes tightly and sank to her knees upon the uneven stone tile, sucking in a deep breath in an attempt to soothe her frayed nerves. _God, what if something happens to him? What if he…he…_

She cared. She could lie to Melissa and Kurz and assure herself that there was nothing—no emotions, no feelings, no semblance of warmth—but she knew. The slightest touch, the minutest smile, and her heart began to race, her pulse quickened, her breath became short. She had begun to wake in the middle of the night, her stomach painfully twisted and her brow beaded with sweat as yet another nightmare showed her one of the countless ways in which Sousuke could be brutally killed.

Sleep always became elusive shortly thereafter.

Kaname sighed deeply and hoisted herself up onto the bed. The softness of the down mattresses did little to comfort her, and she soon found herself staring into nothingness as her thoughts raced. _What if something happens to him? What'll happen to __**me**_

Her rational side quickly took command, immediately chastising her defeatist subconscious for its morbid thoughts. "Ahh, what the hell am I going on for?" She laughed loudly and awkwardly in a vain attempt to ease her anxiety. "There's no way anyone could even touch that lunatic. I think even God himself would have a tough time taking him down."

Kaname smiled slightly to herself at the thought of all the things she and Sousuke could do if…no, **when** he returned. _**When**__, Kaname, __**when**_, she reminded herself. _He __**will **__come back. He promised, remember?_

She still had to harness the longbow; the recurve had taken her long enough to finally understand. Damn Sousuke for hindering her progress with his manipulative closeness! If it hadn't been so cold out and he hadn't been so warm, she wouldn't have felt the urge to move closer to him and therefore she would have learned the proper stance _much _sooner.

A small part of Kaname's subconscious, having grown thoroughly tired of frantically waving its metaphorical arms in an attempt to be recognized, finally heaved a metaphorical sigh and went on its merry metaphorical way.

Now slightly calmer, Kaname closed her eyes and breathed in the relaxing scent of lavender from her freshly-laundered sheets, hugging her knees to her chest. There were so many things she had yet to accomplish; of _course_ Sousuke would return, and soon. Maybe he could even help her with that damned needlepoint—he certainly seemed patient enough to put up with that tedious garbage.

And…they could always go for a few more walks through the courtyard. The thought had Kaname smiling against her pillow.

There was so much more to do…so much for them to do _when _Sousuke returned…

A somewhat hesitant knock at the door woke her from her thoughts. Kaname straightened in bed and pushed aside the slight tremor of fear slicing through her subconscious. Sousuke's paranoia had really begun to rub off on her… "Yes?" she called somewhat uneasily.

The heavy oak doors slowly opened to reveal Melissa Mao, her brow furrowed slightly. The older woman's stance lacked her usual confidence, and she seemed strangely distracted. The nagging, insistent feeling of dread returned to Kaname in full-force, and the hair stood up on the back of her neck.

"Kaname," Melissa began awkwardly, "I'm afraid we have a problem."

Kaname's eyes widened slightly, and her breath hitched in her throat. "Sousuke. Oh my God, something happened to Sousuke!"

"No, no, we haven't heard anything from the Eastern province," Melissa assured her, crossing the room to sit upon the edge of her bed. "As far as we know, he's doing fine."

Kaname let her eyes fall shut and released the breath she hadn't know she'd been holding. "Oh, thank God. I mean, not that I care about his safety or anything! It's just that…you know…I don't want anyone to die or anything…even if he _is_ a jerk, I mean, I don't want him to die…"

"It's not that, Kaname…" Melissa sighed and drummed her fingers upon the bedspread, fixing her absent gaze upon the far wall. "I have no idea how to word this…"

"…what's going on?" Kaname asked hesitantly, unconsciously leaning forward despite her internal ambiguities about hearing Melissa's news. "Sousuke…he's…he's coming back, isn't he?"

Melissa shut her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose, drawing in a sharp breath. "He is." Her mouth had drawn into a tight line, eyes betraying a hint of sympathy as she turned to face the young woman. "But…you won't be here when he does."

* * *

Sousuke frowned, tapping the handle of his combat knife absently upon the scarred wooden table within the barracks. Something was definitely…off.

Amalgam's forces were indeed formidable, but there was a lack of passion in their fighting, a strange and noticeable departure from their usual ferocity. They seemed almost…bored by the battle. The soldiers fought for their lives, but little else.

The day's earlier skirmish was indicative of the conflict's nature. Mithril's two thousand soldiers had proven themselves to be perfectly capable of squaring off against Amalgam's three thousand, displaying their collective skill at combat. Yet Amalgam's soldiers were widely regarded not only as skilled but ruthless—a fair percentage of the antagonistic organization's ranks was populated by rogues and scoundrels who were more than willing to die in battle for the sake of glory and had no qualms about cutting down scores of men in order to sate their rampant bloodlust. Mithril's men were bound by a sense of honor and nobility that did not restrain their enemies; between Amalgam's numbers and its lack of morality, it seemed realistic that Mithril should have been forced to retreat within the space of a few battles…

Sousuke shook his head, a note of worry in his eternally-emotionless grey eyes. _Something is definitely wrong. _

Apart from the strange stand-off in which he and his fellow soldiers had found themselves, Sousuke had yet to see Leonard Testarossa in the conflict, which was in and of itself highly unusual. Leonard had made it a point to be present in all of the battles in which Sousuke participated, most likely owing to a bitter feud that had erupted between the two some time ago.

Had Sousuke been an even remotely sarcastic individual, he surely would have engaged in an enthusiastic eyeroll at the memory. As he was, he merely frowned again and inspected the heel of his knife. _Leonard must truly be a proud individual to let such a thing continue to influence his mindset_, he thought to himself. After all, the battle had really been a minor skirmish between Mithril and Amalgam, and Leonard had only lost the duel due to his exhaustion from previous battles earlier in the day…

Sousuke would never understand such a thing. Pride was not something he himself had ever experienced, and he most likely never would.

"Hey, soldier, got a light?"

Sousuke, still deep in thought, glanced over at the young sergeant with whom he was bunking and silently passed him the flint and tinder he'd used earlier to light the small rush light upon his desk.

"Thanks," the soldier nodded in appreciation. "I promised the little woman I'd send her word that I'm still alive after a week. You know how it is."

"I'm afraid I don't."

"What? You're not married at your age? Lord, boy, what are you waiting for?" The young sergeant laughed as he struck a match.

"Romantic entanglements interfere with one's duty," Sousuke responded simply, tucking his knife into its sheath and moving to recline upon the uncomfortable bunk. "I would prefer silence now, Sergeant Belmont."

"Whatever you say, man," the sergeant said with a shrug, dipping his pen into a small well of ink and beginning his letter. "Dear Mary…"

"Sergeant."

"Geez, sorry." Sergeant Belmont's mouth twisted into a slight frown. _Bet he's the life of the party…_

Sousuke ignored the hint of annoyance in his fellow sergeant's words, already reflecting deeply upon his earlier question. _'What are you waiting for?' _

Kurz had asked him the same question several times, remarking upon the abundance of charming young women in the nearby village. "They're probably just waiting for a strong, handsome man to come along and sweep them off their feet," he'd say with a leer. "Of course, I'm sure you'd do fine anyway, Sousuke." His comments always ended with some form of bodily harm from Sergeant Major Mao.

Romance had never seemed at all important. He'd been a soldier for as long as he could remember, and he'd always assumed that he would perish in battle. His mind was always focused upon survival, not upon the possibility of marrying and raising a family.

Or at least…it _had _been.

His eyes fell shut as his mind brought forth the image of the one person who had torn his life asunder and caused him such confusion. Between punches, she somehow displayed a strange sense of camaraderie with him.

_Miss Chidori…_

She was so angry and peevish, so aggressive…but she needed him. When she anxiously clutched his arm or allowed a slight tremor of fear to enter her voice, he was determined to protect her no matter what the cost. She had indeed become more than just a mission; she was his friend.

True, he had other friends of a sort—he did have Kurz and, to some extent, Melissa, though her position as his superior added a required element of distance. In the end, however, they remained yet another arm of his military identity, one of bloodshed, destruction, and cold indifference.

Kaname was different, radically so. She was, after all, a civilian, despite her brushes with Amalgam and the subsequent necessity of her protection. Her eyes still held a hint of innocence, a concept long lost to men whose years are spent watching enemies and comrades die brutal, often meaningless deaths. She was temperamental and moody, but when she smiled…anything seemed possible, and Sousuke felt long-dormant emotions coming back to him.

Coming…back…

"_I need you to promise that you'll come back to me."_

Amalgam's forces seemed to be holding back, but there was always the possibility that he might die in battle. The idea of death had never truly bothered him; as a soldier, such was his lot in life. But now…

Who would protect Kaname in his place if harm should befall him? Would another soldier shield her from any form of pain, destroy anyone who dared to make her cry? Would he unquestioningly lay down his life for hers, suffer wounds meant for her?

The sudden thought of Kaname tenderly dressing the wounds of another soldier, her eyes soft and concerned, caused an incredible surge of anger within Sousuke, anger which he could not accurately describe.

There was also the unrelenting fear that tragedy might strike in his absence. Sousuke dug his nails into his palms at the thought—what if he returned to the fortress safely, only to discover that Kaname had been killed by one of Amalgam's assassins? Even though she remained within Merida Fortress under the watchful eyes of Kurz and Melissa, there was no guarantee that Leonard or one of his superiors would be unable to sneak a highly-trained soldier past enemy lines and effectively harm the young maiden. Really, all they'd need was lessened security around Kaname or a distraction to…

Sousuke's heart stopped in mid-beat.

No…Amalgam wouldn't possibly have gone to all this trouble simply to remove him from Kaname's side. The girl was special, and the strange "Whispered" powers with which she had slaughtered Leonard's henchmen would likely prove extremely useful to an organization with less-than-honorable intentions, but to actually stage a conflict in order to capture one person? The very idea was absolute lunacy!

"It's…been a very trying day," Sousuke muttered to himself, shutting his eyes and attempting to achieve a moment's peace.

"So is Amalgam always like this?"

Sousuke unsuccessfully attempted to suppress an annoyed grunt at Sergeant Belmont's innocent inquiry. "No, the organization's soldiers are normally ruthless in their pursuits."

"Makes ya wonder why they're holding back, then," Sergeant Belmont wondered aloud as he picked his teeth with the tip of his knife.

"I was just wondering the exact same thing, sergeant."

The image of Kaname's broken and bleeding form lying silent upon the cold stone floor of Merida Fortress suddenly flashed before Sousuke's closed eyes, causing his heart to race and sweat to bead upon his brow. _Baseless fears have no place in war, soldier, _he mentally scolded himself as he attempted to banish the unwanted picture.

"Well, ya know," Sergeant Belmont replied after spitting a distance across the barracks, "they could be trying to draw someone out…or they could just be bored. Or, who knows, maybe we're just a diversion."

"A diversion?"

"Yeah, you know—like, they have some grander scheme in mind so they're tryin' to make Mithril focus on this one battle so we'll be distracted while they go for what they're really after."

Sousuke merely grunted in response, his anxieties beginning to grow and multiply. Kaname had come perilously close to death the last time she had encountered Amalgam; if not for his quick response, she would certainly have been raped, tortured, and finally killed at the hands of Leonard. The idea that the current conflict might possibly be a front for the organization's true goal of exploiting Kaname's status as one of the Whispered seemed too impractical, too outlandish, but still…

Still…

"_Thank you…for saving my life."_

"_Don't…don't leave me, okay?"_

"_I need you to promise me you'll come back to me…"_

The image of her bloodied frame lying motionless, coupled with the feel of her limp, exhausted body in his arms after she risked her life to save him from Leonard…

Sousuke was on his feet before his thoughts of Kaname had even begun to subside. "I have to go," he said gruffly to the bewildered Sergeant Belmont, quickly grabbing his rucksack and slinging it carelessly over one shoulder.

"What the hell are you talking about, man!?" the other sergeant cried out in shock. "You can't just leave in the middle of a conflict, Sergeant Sagara!"

Sousuke pretended not to hear him as he ran towards the stables at the far end of the camp. His head screamed at him to rethink his actions, to reconsider abandoning his duty for the sake of baseless paranoia, but his heart continued to loudly urge him to go back to the girl he'd come to care about more than anything, just to make sure she was safe.

His decision came too late.

* * *

"Th-there's nothing you can do?"

Kurz and Melissa exchanged worried glances as Kaname shakily clutched her tea the next morning. A few drops of blood clung to her fingers where she'd ravaged the formerly-neat cuticles.

"We can try to appeal to the higher-ups," Melissa said carefully. She pushed her oatmeal away after staring at it somewhat warily. Kaname's frantic behavior had caused her to lose her appetite. "It's…really a long-shot, though."

"A long-shot, huh?" Kaname repeated in a monotone, her eyes dazedly fixed upon the far stone wall. "I guess that means it's permanent, right?"

"We could always try to fight it, Kaname," Kurz offered. "If you still think you're in danger…I mean, we can't go against orders, but we could find you a place to stay…"

Kurz frowned as he fully took in Kaname's appearance. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, the consequence of little sleep and constant worry. Her normally-expressive eyes were somehow dull and faded, the whites bloodshot. She had clearly seen no reason to comb her hair, and the normally carefully-tended locks were tangled and wayward. Her shoulders slumped slightly, as if a great burden rested upon them.

_Such a beautiful girl should never be under that much stress_, he thought, shaking his head.

The suddenness of a terse, sharp laugh sounding through the silent Great Hall caused Melissa and Kurz to nearly leap out of their chairs in surprise.

Kaname cracked her knuckles and continued laughing a bit too enthusiastically. "Hey, why bother trying to appeal the decision? I can go back to my normal life, and I'll never have to deal with that deranged Sousuke again!" Her laugh echoed through the hall and mixed with a sharp series of cracks. "I'll go pack my things!"

Kurz and Melissa turned simultaneously to stare at the remnants of Kaname's discarded teacup, now reduced to a small pile of porcelain fragments. "Um, Kaname, are you sure you don't want us to…"

"I'm fine! Fine!" She smiled broadly. "In fact, I'm better than fine! I'm perfect!" Her resulting laugh sounded eerily similar to a broken sob.

"Kaname," Melissa began, catching her by the wrist. "Can we at least escort you back to the village? It'd be a lot safer than you wandering around by yourself."

Kaname violently wrenched her wrist from Melissa's grasp, angrily massaging the flesh as though she'd been burned. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm okay!? I…I just want to be alone, all right?" Her footsteps echoed loudly throughout the fortress as she strode to her room to gather her things.

As she packed the small bundle of clothes she'd accumulated during her time at Merida Fortress, she convinced herself that the tears streaming down her pale cheeks were the result of hysterical laugher and not unbearable pain at the thought of being forever separated from a certain sergeant.

* * *

Outside the bedroom, a young maid stood with her ear softly pressed against the door, thoughts racing.

"Miss Kaname…"

* * *

It was really shaping up to be a beautiful day.

The ice and snow had slowly faded into the night, and the midday sun cast shadows upon the roads as it shone through the bristled pines lining the still-frozen pathways. Brightly-colored songbirds chirped loudly from the treetops, and a passel of wild rabbits hopped serenely through the underbrush.

It was making Kaname sick.

The young woman sighed and shifted the small satchel containing her few belongings to her other arm, shutting her eyes briefly. The weather almost seemed to be mocking her. "Yes, you're doing everything in your power to keep from breaking down into tears, but enjoy this beautiful, comparatively-temperate afternoon anyway, compliments of Mother Nature, who clearly has an incredibly sick sense of humor."

"Miss Chidori? Are you sure you wouldn't like an escort back to the village?" one of the guards at the front gates asked hesitantly, shrinking back slightlyat the clear look of annoyance upon her features. Kaname Chidori had proven herself to be a formidable foe when she so chose; several of the other guards still complained about the savage beatings she had afforded them during her last escape attempt. He was not about to intentionally place himself within range of her wrath, but the idea of Kaname returning to the village on her own did not sit well with those who had spent so much time ensuring her safety.

Kaname exhaled sharply, attempting to rein in her resulting anger at the constant repetition of that question. "Yes, I'm sure I wouldn't like an escort, soldier. I'm _fine_, okay? So leave me the hell alone." She scowled and started down the short bridge spanning the moat, ignoring the slight look of dismay and concern in the guard's eyes.

_I'm anything but fine_. The thought was unwanted and caused Kaname's anger to flare once again, but it was the truth. She had wanted nothing to do with any of this—she had kicked and screamed through those first days under the watchful eyes of an emotionless sergeant, unwilling to leave her normal, peaceful life behind, though she had only recently so despised it for its monotony. How quickly it all had changed. She had fought so hard, so _hard_! All those years spent carefully guarding her emotions against any possible pain disintegrated into nothingness the moment she met Sousuke. He was so horrible at first, completely uncaring and devoid of any and all humanness. But he was so…_different _now. He was like a child in so many ways, naïve and confused, but in those moments where his hand brushed hers or his gaze lingered a bit longer than necessary, she knew he cared about her. It was an intoxicating feeling, and there had been times where she had let her defenses slip just a bit…

…but not enough. It had never been enough.

Kaname's boots thudded softly against the wooden bridge. The songbirds continued to chirp in the distance. The guards spoke in hushed tones, barely audible to her distant ears.

She heard nothing but her inner voice, deafening in its loudness.

_I could have… I should have…_

Kaname stopped once she reached the solid terrain across the bridge, turning to stare at Merida Fortress one last time. It was such an imposing structure, constructed of cold stone worn smooth by countless seasons of rain. Sousuke had guided her through the fortress on several occasions, droning on about the strength of the gatehouse and how the hoardings had been completely reconstructed only several years ago after their destruction at the hands of an opposing army, but she had cared only about the spectacular view of the village and the surrounding areas from the watchtower. Watching the setting sun paint the river valley in pink and orange hues, Kaname hadn't even minded the fact that Sousuke had stood by her side unflinching, forever committed to his duty. High above the village, under the light of an early winter sunset, she had glanced at his ruggedly handsome features and thanked God for the pinkish light that helped disguise the blush rapidly rising to her cheeks.

She had hated being kept under lock and key. She had hated the loss of her freedom. But now that it had been returned to her unexpectedly, she wished desperately for just one more moment. Just one more…

"Wishes are for kids and people who don't know any better," Kaname finally scolded herself, glancing back at the fortress one final time and starting back to the village.

The gradual distance between herself and Merida Fortress did nothing to lessen the persistent lump in her throat.

* * *

The day had become slightly overcast by the second mile, a fact that was little consolation to Kaname, who was forced to wrap her traveling cloak more tightly around her trembling shoulders as the sun's warmth left her. The dirt road had been muddied by the melting snow and ice, and one seemingly shallow puddle left the young woman with sopping wet and horribly squishy socks. Cold and miserable, her thoughts began to stray from the rational.

_Maybe I should be going back through the forest_, she thought absently. _Every time I go there, something bad always happens and Sousuke shows up out of nowhere. So if I walk through the forest, Leonard or one of those other idiots will try something, and I'll scream and Sousuke will come back… _

"That makes sense," she said aloud over the squishing of her shoes as she stepped off the path. "Let's see, I was about half a mile in this direction…"

Once deep within the forest, Kaname slowed her pace, clasping her hands behind her back and sweeping her gaze across her surroundings. _No one behind that grove of trees…or in that section of underbrush…wait, something moved! …oh. A fawn. Cute. _

She frowned slightly and sat down upon a felled tree trunk, resting her chin in her hands. So far she'd seen no signs of suspicious activity, and her impulse to wave her arms and scream, "VULNERABLE GIRL WITH CRAZY PSYCHIC POWERS AT YOUR DISPOSAL!" seemed ill-advised at best.

"…maybe I'm really not in danger anymore…" she began hesitantly, nudging a pinecone with the toe of one boot.

A twig snapped a short distance away.

Kaname's breath hitched in her throat, and she instinctively threw herself to the forest floor, peeking out over the fallen log. A series of snaps followed in short succession, accompanied by a high-pitched yelp. Kaname narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth, clutching the small knife she'd holstered to her hip…just in case. _Sousuke be damned! _she thought determinedly. _I'm a strong, independent woman! I can take on any danger by myself!_ She slowly moved into a crouch, ready to spring to action at a moment's notice.

As the sound of snapping twigs grew closer, Kaname recognized the sound of leather moccasins brushing against the grass. Footsteps. Right. Sousuke had instructed her in this, as well. She clutched her knife more tightly.

Closer…closer…

"Ah, Miss Kaname!"

_Strike!_

The intruder shrieked as she was flung to the ground, head pushed forcefully against the ground as Kaname pressed the knife to her neck. "State your name and purpose!"

"Miss Kaname! It's me, Kyouko! Kyouko Tokiwa, the maid at Merida Fortress! Please don't hurt me!"

"…Kyouko?" Kaname blinked once, twice, as she observed the small girl pinned beneath her. Twigs and blades of grass clung to her braided hair, and her glasses had landed in a half-thawed puddle across the clearing. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll be more than happy to answer if you'll take the knife away from my neck!"

"Oh, right!" Kaname blushed and sheathed the knife. She absently dusted off her skirt and cursed loudly at the sight of the torn hem. "I'm sorry about that, Kyouko. I just thought…"

"That I might be an enemy?" Kyouko asked in a cheerful voice, her earlier fear completely absent from her voice. "No, I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"So you're secretly trailing me through the forest?" Kaname asked incredulously.

"Well…" Kyouko looked sheepish. "I know you wanted to be by yourself, but I felt like I had to talk to you."

"About what exactly?" Kaname's features were a portrait of serenity that would fool all but a most astute observer.

Unfortunately for her, Kyouko fit the bill perfectly.

"I was listening at the door when you were talking to Lady Mao and Master Weber…" Kyouko admitted. "I know how upset you must be now that you've been separated from Lord Sagara. To be honest, I was really worried about you, Miss Kaname. I wasn't sure you'd be okay."

"Why wouldn't I?" Kaname sniffed loudly and shouldered her satchel. "Look, I'm kind of in a hurry here, Kyouko. I appreciate your concern and everything, but I'm eager to resume my normal life away from that military maniac."

"You can't really mean that! I've seen the way you look at him and the way he looks at you! Can you imagine how he's going to feel when he comes back to the fortress and finds out you're gone?"

"It'll probably take him a month to even realize it."

"How can you _say _that? He's clearly in love with you, and I know you feel the same way!" Kyouko cried, reaching out and grabbing Kaname by the elbow.

Kaname pushed Kyouko back forcefully, eyes blazing. "I think you need to spend some time away from the cleaning solvents, Kyouko; you've obviously lost your mind!" She turned her back to the young maid and laughed loudly.

_Love…__**right.**_

The corners of her mouth inadvertently turned downward.

"_You were crying…I wanted to apologize."_

"_I'll protect her no matter what!"_

"_I promise I'll come back to you."_

He had stood watch over her as she slept, chasing away her nightmares with his mere presence. He had sworn to protect her at all costs, saved her from death at the hands of Leonard and his henchmen, and slowly begun to break down the defenses she had spent the past few years desperately constructing. She had marveled at how human Sousuke had become since they became closer, but she had never considered how she had changed in turn.

He needed her. And she needed him.

Isn't that…

"**NO!**" she shouted, striking a nearby tree trunk with her fist and deeply startling Kyouko.

"Miss Kaname, are you all right?" the young maid asked carefully, taking Kaname's hand and inspecting the quickly-reddening knuckles.

"I'm fine. Fine!" The effect of Kaname's laugh was negated by the beginnings of tears in her eyes. She cradled her hand against her chest and massaged it gently. "I'd really like to be alone now, Kyouko. Please."

"But…Miss Kaname…"

"_Please_." She allowed her eyes to betray a hint of despair.

Kyouko's brow was creased in worry, and she'd taken to wringing her hands in the fabric of her dress. "A—all right, Miss Kaname. If you're sure you'll be okay…"

"I'll be fine," Kaname stated, finally allowing the façade of cheerfulness to fade from her tone. "Really, I will." She turned to the young maid and smiled slightly. "Thanks, Kyouko."

Kyouko returned the weak smile and bowed deeply. "It's been a pleasure to serve you, Miss Kaname."

Kaname said nothing in reply as she made her way through the forest, oblivious to the briars and thorns lining the path. Kyouko's words raced through her already deeply-confused mind. One in particular stood out amongst the rest, taunting her as it had for weeks before, from the time Sousuke had rescued her from Leonard following her botched escape attempt to the time he'd held her close and, oblivious to the stark blush upon her cheeks and the fierce pounding of her heart, instructed her in the proper use of the recurve bow.

"_Yeah, you want me to be safe because of your mission, right?"_

"_That's one of the reasons."_

Her heart had leapt to her throat with those five words, spoken so plainly yet containing within them more emotion than any valiant declaration he might present to her.

She wanted Sousuke to come back to her. She wanted to feel her heart race and her breath quicken and her head spin when he was near. She wanted him to tell her that he wanted to protect her, over and over. She wanted to stay with him.

_What am I going to do?_

Kaname continued upon the path in silence, thoughts racing all the while. _It's okay…he'll show up out of nowhere. He always does. He always…_

The trees gave way to a small cottage flanked by a series of sturdy maples, their limbs naked in the cold winter air. A thin sheet of ice covered the nearby lake.

_I'm…home._

Kaname let her satchel slide from her shoulders, staring into nothingness. She could now resume her normal life as if nothing had ever happened. Trips to the market, unashamed advances from the village men…the same tedium she had been desperate to escape but to which she soon longed to return.

"This is what I wanted," Kaname said aloud, her voice cracking in mid-sentence. "I…wanted to be a normal girl… I wanted to…"

_I'll never see him again. _

Kaname sank to her knees and finally allowed her long-suppressed tears to fall.

* * *

The intermittent clouds had finally darkened into the night, and once again snow began to fall.

Kaname leaned back in her armchair, her hands clutching a cup of tea that had completely cooled over an hour ago. A sudden chill breeze caused the tapered candles on the nearby table to flicker, casting shadows upon Kaname's emotionless visage. She hadn't moved in hours.

She remembered the promise she had made after her mother had died, the solemn vow that she would never again allow her emotions to be compromised, never again allow herself to love and lose and suffer silently in the aftermath. "I'll never let anyone hurt me again," she had stated, her voice firm and determined.

She had broken her vow, and once again she suffered.

"Never again," Kaname said softly, glancing across the room at the framed picture of her mother.

She would forget Sousuke, in time, just as he would forget her. "Life's full of changes and setbacks, after all…I don't need him. I'll be fine on my own." Her words sounded hollow and desperate even to her own ears.

She had come so close to admitting her feelings when he'd left for the conflict with Amalgam. Yet she once again hid from her emotions; she'd run away from the possibility of having her heart broken again.

And now she'd never have another chance to tell him. She could never tell him that she loved him.

Such were her thoughts as a slight knock sounded upon the door.

Kaname's movements were slow and listless as she set down her tea and shuffled to the door. _It's probably Kyouko again…I really appreciate her concern, but I just…don't want to see anyone right now. I can't._

It was only after she had opened the door that she registered that horribly familiar voice.

"Good evening, my dear Miss Chidori. I've missed you so."

The last thing she felt was a dull pain against the side of her head as she slumped to the ground, eyes falling shut.

* * *

"Let's move, Testarossa!"

Leonard ignored his companion's frantic shout as he carefully cradled the unconscious young woman in his arms, frowning as he observed the slight smear of blood at her temple. Hm, perhaps he'd hit her a mite _too _hard. Oh well. As long as she lived, she'd be fine. He smiled.

The night was still and silent, punctuated only by the soft whisper of snowflakes in the air. "Come on, we have to get out of here before someone sees us!" the young soldier hissed quietly, motioning to the forest with his lantern. "You know we're screwed if anyone from Mithril's still got an eye on her."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Leonard stated with a smirk as he gently placed Kaname into the waiting carriage and climbed in after her. "Sagara's still off in the Eastern province, and Mithril's terminated its protection of the lovely maiden Chidori."

"Idiots," the other soldier said with a quiet laugh, clicking his tongue and spurring the twin horses to begin a steady gallop.

Leonard said nothing in reply, busying himself with securing Kaname's wrists and ankles. After checking the ropes for any frays or tears, he leaned forward and stared at his captive's features for a long moment. She was so beautiful…her beauty had in fact captivated him long before he'd known of her strong personality or her status as one of the Whispered. He hadn't truly fallen for her until he'd spent time in the young woman's presence. She was a true spitfire, Kaname Chidori, fierce and temperamental, and an exceptional fighter.

_Just my type_, Leonard noted, his smirk still firmly in place.

"Such a pity that such beauty must be wasted," he observed simply, leaning over to place a soft kiss upon her lips. "I'd prefer a much kinder end for such an incredible woman, Miss Chidori, but I'm afraid I have little say in the matter."

His eyes betrayed no emotion as they rode into the night.

* * *

At the edge of the forest, hidden amongst the thick briars and wild brush, a young maid remained frozen in fear for several long minutes, her knees shaking terribly.

"Miss…Kaname…"

As she regained her voice, she dashed into the forest, desperate to reach Merida Fortress before it was too late.

_**To Be Continued…**_

* * *

_**End A/N: God, I worked so damn hard on this chapter. I know it probably doesn't show, but it took a lot out of me. This is the longest chapter thus far, and I've put a fair amount of time into it. For someone with such a suck work ethic, that's a major accomplishment.**_

_**Again, I apologize for taking so friggin' long with this fic, but I hope the wait was worth it. Any and all concrit is graciously accepted. **_

_**That's it for now, kids. There are only two chapters left in the story, so I should be finished by…oh, 2015.**_

_**That's a joke. Don't hurt me!**_


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